Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media reported, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Packed Itinerary Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans destroyed 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 thousands of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which captured international headlines, overshadowed 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Successful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered 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 crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Vast Appeal in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.