Smooth End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting 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, local media stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a troubled start after disappointed fans tore 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."
The ruckus, which captured international headlines, overshadowed 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 custody.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also met several politicians 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 meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Great Fame in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
