Calm Finish to Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports reported, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his appearance there.

An Intense Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.

Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

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

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses 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, marred 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Peaceful 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 met several political figures 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 meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of Messi's Immense Popularity in India

Messi's popularity is due to more than his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.