🔗 Share this article Calm Finish to Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos Messi concluded his visit to India with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there. A Busy Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday. Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan displays a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a troubled start after disappointed fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a hyped-up 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 ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Events in Other Cities 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 world-famous star on social media and in press interactions. Messi also had meetings with 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 remotely unveiled a towering statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Root of His Vast Popularity in India Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his visit to India with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there. A Busy Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday. Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan displays a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a troubled start after disappointed fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a hyped-up 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 ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Events in Other Cities 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 world-famous star on social media and in press interactions. Messi also had meetings with 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 remotely unveiled a towering statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Root of His Vast Popularity in India Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.