Peaceful End to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos

Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media reported, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

An Intense Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.

Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to 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 ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.

"Inept organization 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 – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."

The unrest, which made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed 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 detention.

Peaceful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of His Great Popularity in India

Messi's fame stems not just from his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.