Calm End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Packed Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."
The disturbance, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Great Appeal in India
Messi's appeal stems not just from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.