Smooth End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after disappointed fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Visits in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India
Messi's fame comes not only from his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
