Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked 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 forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.
A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans destroyed 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 thousands of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The disturbance, which captured 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Engagements in Other Cities
Messi's events 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 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 engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Reason of His Vast Fame in India
Messi's fame comes not only from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
