Smooth Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Busy Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans tore seats and flung 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 ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered 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 acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Immense Popularity in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
