Smooth Finish to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Disorder in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.
A Packed Schedule Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing 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 remotely presented a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled 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 a multitude of ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."
The unrest, 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 promoter 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 passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Popularity in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the record 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.
