Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Packed Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely 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 Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous 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 countless devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them didn't even get 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 turned hostile.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."
The ruckus, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Peaceful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – film actor 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 assemblies 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
