Peaceful Finish to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-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 Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.

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

His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.

An Intense Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Chaotic Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after disappointed 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 thousands of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.

"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging 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 organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

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

Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Reason of Messi's Immense Popularity in India

Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.