Peaceful Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Busy Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after disappointed 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 thousands of adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, marred 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings 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 left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Immense Fame in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.