Smooth End to Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
A Packed Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.
Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up seats and hurled 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 adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, most of them failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The unrest, which made 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 organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Peaceful Events in Other Cities
Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.
Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of His Vast Appeal in India
Messi's appeal is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
