Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Schedule Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed 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 adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which made international headlines, marred 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 detention.
Smooth Events in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several political figures 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 meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of Messi's Vast Popularity in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his prolific 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 referred to as the beautiful game.
