Calm Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
A Busy Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after angry fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Successful Events 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 had meetings with several political figures 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 greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India
Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
