🔗 Share this article Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos Messi concluded his India tour with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there. A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed 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 devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Inept organization 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 – "vented their anger by indulging in violence." The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Peaceful Engagements in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with youngsters at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met 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 rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Immense Popularity in India Messi's fame stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his India tour with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there. A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city. Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed 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 devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense. "Inept organization 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 – "vented their anger by indulging in violence." The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Peaceful Engagements in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with youngsters at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met 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 rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Immense Popularity in India Messi's fame stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.