🔗 Share this article Smooth Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos Messi concluded his visit to India with an appearance 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, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name. His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there. A Packed Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan holds a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent. "Faulty planning 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 disturbance, which made 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Engagements in Other Cities Messi had a kickabout with kids at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions. Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Immense Appeal in India Messi's popularity is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his visit to India with an appearance 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, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name. His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there. A Packed Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday. Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A fan holds a jersey of Messi at the event in Delhi. The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed fans tore seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium. Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent. "Faulty planning 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 disturbance, which made 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Engagements in Other Cities Messi had a kickabout with kids at a stadium in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions. Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually unveiled a massive statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were reports earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of His Immense Appeal in India Messi's popularity is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.