Calm End to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata
Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis SuΓ‘rez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch β booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures β the crowd shouted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
A Busy Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state β of which Kolkata is the capital β and countless adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.
However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.
"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans β denied even a glimpse of Messi β "vented their anger by resorting to violence."
The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities β film actor 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 greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.
There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Great Fame in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football β he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona β but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
