Peaceful Conclusion to Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

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

An Intense Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Peaceful Events in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews.

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

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

There were reports 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 Root of His Vast Popularity in India

Messi's popularity 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 deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.