Calm Finish to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, joined by 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 held up due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.

An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.

Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to 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 countless devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, the majority failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.

"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury 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 organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Smooth Visits in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds 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 left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of Messi's Immense Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and extensive 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 called the beautiful game.