Calm End to Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata

Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.

An Intense Schedule Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."

The disturbance, which made international headlines, overshadowed 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Smooth Events in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Reason of Messi's Immense Fame in India

Messi's appeal 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 emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.