Calm End to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-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 catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."
The unrest, 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies 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 departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Vast Fame in India
Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
