Calm End to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Packed Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy 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 traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, the majority 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 became tense.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to 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 promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight 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 cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports 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 Root of His Great Popularity in India
Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and broad 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.