Calm Conclusion to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media stated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Packed Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after disappointed 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 countless adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, many failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which grabbed 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police 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 online and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures 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 meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Immense Fame in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
