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

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues 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 shouted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.

An Intense Schedule Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession of brand 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 digitally revealed a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.

Troubled Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of ardent 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 surrounded by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."

The ruckus, which made international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with 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 engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of Messi's Great Appeal in India

Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.