Smooth Conclusion to Messi's India Tour After Unrest in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, in the wake of a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.

An Intense Agenda Across Multiple Cities

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

Before making his way 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-strong crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a troubled start after frustrated fans tore 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 spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."

The unrest, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been called a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

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

Successful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

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

There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of His Vast Fame in India

Messi's fame comes not only from his long international career and broad 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.