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

Football superstar Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending 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, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises

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

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed seats and threw 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."

The unrest, which grabbed international headlines, overshadowed 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.

Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – film actor 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 waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were reports 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 Source of His Great Fame in India

Messi's fame comes not only from his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.