🔗 Share this article Peaceful End to Messi's Visit to India Following Kolkata Chaos Messi finished his India tour with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on 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 held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there. An Intense Schedule Across Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city. Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after frustrated fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness 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 rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile. "Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence." The ruckus, which made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi had a kickabout with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star 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 sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling 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 left the country on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Vast Fame in India Messi's fame comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi finished his India tour with an engagement at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on 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 held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there. An Intense Schedule Across Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city. Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after frustrated fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness 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 rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile. "Inept organization of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence." The ruckus, which made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi had a kickabout with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star 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 sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling 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 left the country on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Vast Fame in India Messi's fame comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.