Peaceful Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos

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

On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, joined by 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 shouted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.

A Packed Itinerary Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a troubled start after disappointed fans tore 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 adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.

"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."

The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Peaceful Events in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews.

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

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

There were rumors 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 Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India

Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.