🔗 Share this article Smooth Conclusion to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos Messi wrapped up his India tour with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there. An Intense Schedule Across Multiple Cities Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Disastrous Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a chaotic 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence." The unrest, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed 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 custody. Peaceful Visits in Other Cities Messi played football with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally presented a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball 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 Source of His Great Appeal in India Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi wrapped up his India tour with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there. An Intense Schedule Across Multiple Cities Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Disastrous Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a chaotic 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence." The unrest, which made international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed 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 custody. Peaceful Visits in Other Cities Messi played football with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally presented a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball 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 Source of His Great Appeal in India Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.