🔗 Share this article Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata Messi concluded his India tour with an appearance at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there. An Intense Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday. Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata An admirer holds a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a troubled start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted 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 enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked 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 – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence." The disturbance, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi had a kickabout with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi had a meeting with Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India Messi's popularity stems not just from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his India tour with an appearance at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there. An Intense Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday. Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata An admirer holds a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a troubled start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted 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 enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked 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 – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence." The disturbance, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi had a kickabout with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi had a meeting with Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India Messi's popularity stems not just from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.