Calm Conclusion to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight 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, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Packed Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which grabbed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Visits in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians 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 interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Immense Appeal in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
