🔗 Share this article Calm Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata Messi finished his visit to India with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates 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 flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there. A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed fans tore seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent. "Inept organization of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging 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 promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi kicked a ball with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally unveiled a towering 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 crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet 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 Vast Appeal in India Messi's appeal comes not only from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
Messi finished his visit to India with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates 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 flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there. A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed fans tore seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent. "Inept organization of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging 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 promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi kicked a ball with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally unveiled a towering 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 crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet 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 Vast Appeal in India Messi's appeal comes not only from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.