Peaceful End to Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after angry 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 police custody.
Peaceful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – film actor 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 assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Appeal in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
