Peaceful Finish to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic 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 countless devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."
The disturbance, 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 organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews.
Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Great Popularity in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
