🔗 Share this article Calm End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Disorder in Kolkata Messi wrapped up his India tour with an appearance at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there. An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing 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 virtually revealed a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata A fan displays a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence." The ruckus, which captured 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 sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Peaceful Events in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with youngsters at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi remotely presented a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi had a meeting with Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling 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 Reason of His Vast Fame in India Messi's popularity 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 millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi wrapped up his India tour with an appearance at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there. An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing 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 virtually revealed a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata A fan displays a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence." The ruckus, which captured 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 sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Peaceful Events in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with youngsters at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi remotely presented a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi had a meeting with Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling 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 Reason of His Vast Fame in India Messi's popularity 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 millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.