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

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates 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 chanted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses 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 made international headlines, overshadowed Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Successful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also encountered several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

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

The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India

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