Smooth Conclusion to Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered 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 delayed due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string 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 virtually revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and hurled 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Vast Fame in India
Messi's appeal is due to more than his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
