Calm End to Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata

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

On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources stated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

A Packed Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.

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

Chaotic Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry 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, most of them failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by engaging in violence."

The unrest, which grabbed 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Successful Events in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also met 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 interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of Messi's Vast Appeal in India

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