🔗 Share this article Smooth End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata Messi wrapped up his visit to India with an appearance at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. An Intense Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata An admirer displays a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile. "Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence." The ruckus, 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Engagements in Other Cities Messi had a kickabout with kids 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 online and in media interviews. Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi remotely revealed a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Source of Messi's Immense Popularity in India Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi wrapped up his visit to India with an appearance at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. An Intense Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata An admirer displays a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile. "Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence." The ruckus, 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Engagements in Other Cities Messi had a kickabout with kids 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 online and in media interviews. Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi remotely revealed a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Source of Messi's Immense Popularity in India Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.