Peaceful Conclusion to Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped 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 highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures 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, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called 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 detention.
Smooth Visits in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with 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 engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Great Fame in India
Messi's fame comes not only from his lengthy 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.
