Peaceful End to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.
An Intense Agenda Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans tore seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Successful Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Vast Popularity in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
