Peaceful Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled 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 thousands of adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, many failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.
"Inept organization 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 – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 His Immense Fame in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
