Peaceful Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after angry fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness 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 became tense.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which captured international headlines, marred 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Smooth Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with 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 dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Immense Popularity in India
Messi's appeal is due to more than his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
