Smooth Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.
A Packed Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."
The unrest, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – film actor 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 dribbling 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Great Fame in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and extensive 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 known as the beautiful game.
