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Peaceful Finish to Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos
Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.
A Busy Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of ardent supporters had paid 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 quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."
The ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.
Peaceful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also met several political figures 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 interactions, 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 meet 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 His Great Popularity in India
Messi's popularity 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 strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Kenneth Bell
A tech strategist and writer passionate about digital transformation and emerging technologies.
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