Smooth End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Schedule Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend on social media 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 sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Immense Appeal in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
