Peaceful Finish to Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

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

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports reported, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Chaotic Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a troubled start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"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 made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

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

Successful Events in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also encountered 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 interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings 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 left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India

Messi's appeal stems not just from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.