Smooth Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a string 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 remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."
The disturbance, which captured international headlines, overshadowed 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 remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered 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 crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Great Fame in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his long 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.
