Calm Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos

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

On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian 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, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

An Intense Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

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

Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after frustrated 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded 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 much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."

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

The promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai

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

Messi also encountered several political figures 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 interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies 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 left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of Messi's Immense Appeal in India

Messi's fame comes not only from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.