Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Unrest in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.

A Busy Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities

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

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

Chaotic Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, the majority failed to see 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.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed 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 detention.

Peaceful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

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

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

In between these engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Reason of His Vast Popularity in India

Messi's appeal stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.