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

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

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

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

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

A Packed Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a string of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before heading 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 city in eastern India.

Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after frustrated fans tore seats and threw 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 spent up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."

The disturbance, which captured 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Peaceful Events in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.

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

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

There were rumors 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 Reason of Messi's Great Popularity in India

Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.