Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos

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

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

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd shouted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports stated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises

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

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

Disastrous Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed 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 ardent 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 enveloped 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 much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."

The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Peaceful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – film actor 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 greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Reason of Messi's Immense Popularity 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 emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.