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

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates 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 aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.

A Busy Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

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

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.

"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."

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

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

Peaceful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's appearances 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 – film actor 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 waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Reason of Messi's Vast Popularity in India

Messi's appeal is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.