Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Unrest in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports stated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.

An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry 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 thousands of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of 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 highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."

The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.

Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

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

There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of His Vast Popularity in India

Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.