Calm Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian 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, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
A Packed Schedule Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy 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 hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."
The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
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 meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports 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 Source of His Great Appeal in India
Messi's appeal stems not just 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 known as the beautiful game.
