Smooth Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed 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 thousands of devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Successful Events in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Great Appeal in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his lengthy 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.
