Peaceful End to Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
A Packed Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Troubled Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after disappointed fans tore seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Successful Events in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Great Appeal in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
