Smooth Finish to Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues 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 chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media stated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
An Intense Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before traveling 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 Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a troubled 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 a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Successful Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
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 interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Vast Appeal in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
