Smooth End to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata

Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

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

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media indicated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.

A Packed Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

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

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.

Troubled Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after disappointed fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend 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 rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger 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 organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Visits in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews.

Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

There were speculation 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 Root of Messi's Vast Popularity in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.