🔗 Share this article Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos Messi finished his visit to India with an appearance at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there. A Packed Schedule Across Several Metropolises Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a string 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 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata An admirer displays a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence." The unrest, which made international headlines, marred 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has sent 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 concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions. Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually presented a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings 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 departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Immense Fame in India Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi finished his visit to India with an appearance at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there. A Packed Schedule Across Several Metropolises Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a string 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 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata An admirer displays a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence." The unrest, which made international headlines, marred 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has sent 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 concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions. Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually presented a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings 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 departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Immense Fame in India Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.