Peaceful End to Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Busy Itinerary Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after disappointed fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Smooth Events in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also met 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 interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were rumors 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Vast Appeal in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
