🔗 Share this article Peaceful Finish to Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata Messi finished his visit to India with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there. A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata A supporter displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after angry fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent. "Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence." The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Events in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with kids at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally 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 acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
Messi finished his visit to India with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there. A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata A supporter displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after angry fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent. "Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence." The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Events in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with kids at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally 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 acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.