Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates 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 roared his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
A Busy Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing 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 revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied 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 much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Smooth Events in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Reason of His Immense Popularity in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
