🔗 Share this article Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos Messi finished his visit to India with an engagement at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by 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 shouted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there. An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata A fan holds a jersey of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated 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 a multitude of ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, the majority failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent. "Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures 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 grabbed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Events 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 expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered 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 digitally unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Root of His Immense Appeal in India Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi finished his visit to India with an engagement at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by 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 shouted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there. An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata A fan holds a jersey of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated 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 a multitude of ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, the majority failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent. "Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures 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 grabbed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Events 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 expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered 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 digitally unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Root of His Immense Appeal in India Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.