Calm Conclusion to Messi's Visit to India After Disorder in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered 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 – 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 postponed due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.
A Packed Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."
The unrest, 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 remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews.
Messi also met several politicians 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 engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging 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 left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Immense Appeal in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
