Calm Conclusion to Messi's Visit to India Following Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Packed Itinerary Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after angry fans destroyed 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 a multitude of devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also met several political figures 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 interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Vast Fame in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
