Calm Finish to Messi's India Tour After Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Packed Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after angry 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 countless devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many failed to see him as he was surrounded 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 hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Peaceful Visits in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy 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, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of Messi's Vast Appeal in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and extensive 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 referred to as the beautiful game.
