Smooth End to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after angry fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of 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.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized 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 dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Vast Appeal in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
