Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media indicated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans tore seats and hurled 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 spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing 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 termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also met several political figures 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 meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Vast Appeal in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and wide 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 referred to as the beautiful game.
