Calm Finish to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

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

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

His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.

A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.

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

Troubled Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed fans destroyed 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 a multitude of devoted supporters had spent 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 accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.

"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."

The disturbance, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called 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.

Successful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

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

Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 waving to 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of His Immense Fame in India

Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.