Smooth End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Schedule Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after disappointed 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 adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Peaceful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Fame in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his long 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 called the beautiful game.
