Calm Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled 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 teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.
A Busy Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading 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 eastern city.
Troubled Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, started with a troubled start after angry fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.
"Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The unrest, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 police custody.
Peaceful Events in Other Cities
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India
Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and broad 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 referred to as the beautiful game.
