Smooth Conclusion to Messi's Visit to India After Disorder in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.
A Packed Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.
Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 countless ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them 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 quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."
The unrest, 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered 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 waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Vast Popularity 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 strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
