Calm Conclusion to Messi's Visit to India Following Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting 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 itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Busy Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Smooth Visits in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 gatherings 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Appeal in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.