Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour After Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed 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 ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which captured 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 remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Visits in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Immense Appeal in India
Messi's appeal stems not just from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
