Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a turbulent 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 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 aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports stated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Packed Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which captured 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 promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend 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 waving to large fan crowds 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Vast Fame in India
Messi's appeal is due to more than his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.