Smooth End to Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after angry fans destroyed 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 thousands of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.
"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 indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, overshadowed 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Immense Popularity in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
