Calm Finish to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates 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 shouted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated 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 attend the event.
However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Fame 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 countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
