Peaceful End to Messi's Visit to India Following Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.
An Intense Itinerary Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely 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, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, marred 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 police custody.
Smooth Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.