🔗 Share this article Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos Messi concluded his visit to India with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there. An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. Troubled Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile. "Poor management of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence." The ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Peaceful Events in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with kids at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews. Messi also met 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 unveiled a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 Messi's Great Appeal in India Messi's fame comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his visit to India with an event at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata. On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name. His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there. An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. Troubled Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata An admirer shows a shirt of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile. "Poor management of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence." The ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention. Peaceful Events in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with kids at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews. Messi also met 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 unveiled a 70ft statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi met Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 Messi's Great Appeal in India Messi's fame comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.