🔗 Share this article Smooth Finish to Messi's Visit to India Following Kolkata Chaos Messi concluded his visit to India with an engagement at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before making his way 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 eastern city. Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed fans tore seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent. "Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence." The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Smooth Events in Other Cities Messi played football with children at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews. Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 met Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling 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 departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Source of His Immense Popularity in India Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his visit to India with an engagement at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday. Before making his way 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 eastern city. Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed fans tore seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent. "Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence." The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Smooth Events in Other Cities Messi played football with children at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews. Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 met Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling 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 departed on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Source of His Immense Popularity in India Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.