🔗 Share this article Calm End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata Messi wrapped up his India tour with an engagement at a sports arena 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 turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there. An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city. Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata A supporter displays a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a troubled start after disappointed fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence." The disturbance, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi had a kickabout with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a towering statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies 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 Root of His Great Appeal in India Messi's popularity comes not only from his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi wrapped up his India tour with an engagement at a sports arena 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 turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there. An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city. Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata A supporter displays a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a troubled start after disappointed fans destroyed seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence." The disturbance, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi had a kickabout with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a towering statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies 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 Root of His Great Appeal in India Messi's popularity comes not only from his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.