Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after disappointed fans destroyed 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 countless devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."
The unrest, which made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Events in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds 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 left the country on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Great Popularity in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
