Peaceful Finish to Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

An Intense Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed 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 adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, most of them 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 turned hostile.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."

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

The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star 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 engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

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

The Root of Messi's Vast Fame in India

Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.