🔗 Share this article Smooth End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Kolkata Chaos Messi wrapped up his India tour with an appearance at a sports arena in Delhi on Monday. Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there. An Intense Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Disastrous Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata An admirer displays a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated 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 thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence." The ruckus, which made 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Successful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi kicked a ball with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a 70ft 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 crowds in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Source of His Great Popularity in India Messi's appeal comes not only from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless 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. Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name. His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there. An Intense Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Disastrous Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata An admirer displays a shirt of Messi at the gathering in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated 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 thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event. However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile. "Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence." The ruckus, which made 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Successful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai Messi kicked a ball with children at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions. Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually revealed a 70ft 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 crowds in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Source of His Great Popularity in India Messi's appeal comes not only from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.