Calm End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports stated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.
An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans ripped up seats and flung 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 ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration 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 termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in 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 had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings 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 traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Immense Fame in India
Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
