Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after angry 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many 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 grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The ruckus, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were rumors 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 Source of His Vast Fame in India
Messi's fame comes not only from his long international career and extensive 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.
