Peaceful End to Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Busy Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession 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 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority failed to see him as he was accompanied 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, disorganization" and safety failures 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, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor 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 greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football 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 Root of His Great Popularity in India
Messi's appeal is due to more than his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
