Calm End to Messi's Visit to India Following Disorder in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

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

His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media stated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

A Busy Schedule Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.

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

Troubled Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry fans ripped up 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 countless ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.

"Poor management of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."

The ruckus, which captured international headlines, overshadowed 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 ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Peaceful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several politicians 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 interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of His Immense Popularity in India

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