🔗 Share this article Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata Messi concluded his India tour with an engagement at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata A supporter displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans ripped up 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 be at the event. However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence." The unrest, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 detention. Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi kicked a ball with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi remotely unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi had a meeting with Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Messi's Great Popularity in India Messi's appeal stems not just from his lengthy international career and extensive 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 known as the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his India tour with an engagement at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday. Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata A supporter displays a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans ripped up 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 be at the event. However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence." The unrest, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 detention. Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi kicked a ball with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews. Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi remotely unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi had a meeting with Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 Messi's Great Popularity in India Messi's appeal stems not just from his lengthy international career and extensive 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 known as the beautiful game.