Smooth End to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, accompanied 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 flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports stated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.

An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.

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

Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after frustrated 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 countless devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, many failed to see him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.

"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."

The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Visits in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with several political figures 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 interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

There were reports earlier that Messi would meet 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 popularity 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 deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.