Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto 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 schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.
A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and flung 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 paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.
"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."
The disturbance, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.
Peaceful Visits in Other Cities
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.
Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Source of Messi's Immense Appeal in India
Messi's appeal comes not only from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
