Calm Conclusion to Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending 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, reports stated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

An Intense Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.

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

Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated fans tore seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.

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

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."

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

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

Successful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.

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

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

The Reason of His Great Popularity in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his lengthy international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.