Calm Conclusion to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
An Intense Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed 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, most of them failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Successful Events in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Fame in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and extensive 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.