Peaceful End to Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos
Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis SuĆ”rez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch ā kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs ā the crowd chanted his name.
His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of marketing 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 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.
Troubled Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after angry fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state ā of which Kolkata is the capital ā and a multitude of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans ā denied even a glimpse of Messi ā "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."
The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities ā Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Immense Popularity in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football ā he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona ā but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.