Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Kolkata Chaos

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

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

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media stated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.

A Busy Itinerary Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending 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 remotely unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.

Disastrous Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed 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 a multitude of devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

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

"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."

The ruckus, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Visits in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend online 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 crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were speculation 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 Reason of Messi's Immense Popularity in India

Messi's appeal is due to more than his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.