Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Troubled Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry fans tore seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted 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 quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.
"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed 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 sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also met 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 interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds 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 Root of His Immense Appeal in India
Messi's fame is due to more than his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
