🔗 Share this article Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos Messi finished his India tour with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there. An Intense Schedule Across Several Metropolises Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan holds a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after angry 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 forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence." The unrest, which made international headlines, overshadowed 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Visits in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with children at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally 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 acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 Immense Popularity in India Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi finished his India tour with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there. An Intense Schedule Across Several Metropolises Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan holds a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after angry 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 forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence." The unrest, which made international headlines, overshadowed 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody. Smooth Visits in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with children at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi digitally 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 acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 Immense Popularity in India Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.