Smooth End to Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates 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 chanted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered 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 meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India
Messi's appeal is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
