Calm Finish to Messi's India Tour After Kolkata Chaos

Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media indicated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.

Troubled Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a troubled start after disappointed 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 a multitude of adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."

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

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

Peaceful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several politicians 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 greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of Messi's Vast Fame in India

Messi's appeal comes not only from his long international career and broad 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.