Lionel Messi’s trip to Kolkata, which received a lot of media coverage and was very much looked forward to, was initially planned to be a grand celebration of football history, but later on, it turned out to be a reminder of the city’s hot temperament that could sometimes erupt and lead to chaos. A lot of these difficulties involved the changing route at the last minute, the overwhelming crowds, and the people quarrelling with each other, which made the visit of Messi a very close encounter with the legendary Pele’s tour of Calcutta that took place many years ago. Just like it happened in the past, the present also faced the challenge of elaborate planning due to the enormous love for football in Kolkata, thereby turning adoration into logistical nightmares and spinning tales that were a mix of romance and disorder.
What Happened When Pele Visited Calcutta?
Messi’s arrival caused massive and unmanageable crowds just like Pele’s visit in the 1970s. The roads were blocked, the security plans were changed on the spot, and the convoys had to take different routes to avoid the large gatherings of fans. During Pele’s visit, the Brazilian legend had to be taken through uncharted roads to get away from the crowds who were dying to see him. Similar execution was used for the Messi’s motorcade, which was a strong indication that Kolkata’s passion for football has not dulled with time, even in the era of modern crowd control. The similarities did not end with the traffic bustles. Messi’s Kolkata itinerary experienced tensions among promoters, security forces and political figures, which was yet another simulacrum to Pelé’s time, when ministers notoriously quarreled with security over access and protocol. The matter of Messi’s visit featured a similar situation with conflicts possibly over crowd control, stage presence and movement limitations, hence the misunderstanding among the fans who took it as mismanagement. In both cases, the wish to be near the football royalty prevailed over the considerations of safety and planning.
How Is Lionel Messi’s Visit Similar With That Of Pele?
Messi’s entry in India was on the same scale that Pele had in the 1970s with huge and ungovernable fans. The roads were blocked, the security plans were changed instantly, and convoys had to take alternate routes to avoid the massive gatherings of people. Pele during his visit was taken along unknown routes to escape from the people who were just dying to see him. The same thing was done for the motorcade of Messi, which was a vivid sign that Kolkata’s love of football has not lessened at all with the times, even in the era of modern crowd control. The resemblance between the two situations did not stop with traffic jams. The tensions among the promoters, the security forces and the politicians were another similarity between the Messi’s Kolkata schedule and Pele’s time when ministers notoriously argued with security over the access and the protocol. The issue of Messi’s visit had a similar case with possible conflicts over the control of the crowd, the stage presence and the movement limitations, hence the misunderstanding among the fans who took it as mismanagement. In both cases, the desire to be close to the football royalty overpowered the safety and planning considerations.
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