Smooth End to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
A Packed Itinerary Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them failed to see 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.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Successful Events in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several politicians 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 meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
