Calm End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Disorder in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after angry fans tore seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, 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 ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
