Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of 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, accompanied by 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 chanted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans tore seats and hurled 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 forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, many failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Engagements 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 on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling 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 traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Immense Appeal in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.