Peaceful Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Troubled Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after disappointed fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered 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 engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India
Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
