Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
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 postponed due to fog, reports stated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.
An Intense Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a troubled start after angry fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" 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 unrest, which grabbed 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 promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Successful Events in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with 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 acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors 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 Root of Messi's Vast Fame in India
Messi's fame stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
