Calm Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Busy Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a series of brand 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 digitally revealed a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and threw 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 spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.
"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."
The unrest, which made international headlines, overshadowed 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 police custody.
Successful Visits in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Great Fame in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
