Calm Finish to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Disorder in Kolkata

Global football icon Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

An Intense Schedule Spanning 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 traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.

Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans tore seats and threw 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 forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, many failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."

The unrest, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

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

Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

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

In between these interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India

Messi's appeal is due to more than his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.