Peaceful Finish to Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled 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, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a string of brand 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 massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The ruckus, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called 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 police custody.
Peaceful Visits in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online 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 sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Popularity 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 emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
