Smooth End to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Troubled Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 countless adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.
"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures 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 engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Appeal in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
