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

Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.

A Packed Schedule Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.

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

Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after angry fans tore seats and threw 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 paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."

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

The organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

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

Messi also had meetings with several politicians 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 meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were reports earlier that Messi would meet 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 His Great Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.