Calm Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports stated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
A Busy Schedule Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority 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 turned hostile.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Visits in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians 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 waving to large fan gatherings 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 departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Vast Appeal in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
