đŸ”— Share this article Peaceful Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata Messi concluded his visit to India with an appearance at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis SuĂ¡rez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday. Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A supporter shows a jersey of Messi at the gathering 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 paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense. "Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence." The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Visits in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with youngsters at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually unveiled a towering statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
Messi concluded his visit to India with an appearance at a stadium in Delhi on Monday. Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata. On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker. As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis SuĂ¡rez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name. His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there. A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday. Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India. Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata A supporter shows a jersey of Messi at the gathering 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 paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event. However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense. "Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence." The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'. The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody. Successful Visits in Other Cities Messi kicked a ball with youngsters at a sports arena in Delhi. Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions. Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. Messi virtually unveiled a towering statue of himself in Kolkata. Messi encountered Indian sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai. In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children. There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.