Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after 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 striker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
A Packed Itinerary Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading 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-person crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after disappointed 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 a multitude of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Smooth Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered 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 interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports 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 Root of Messi's Great Popularity in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
