Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata
Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them didn't even get 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 turned hostile.
"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed 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 Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also met 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 engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball 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 Messi's Great Fame in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy 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 referred to as the beautiful game.
