Calm End to Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata

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

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

A Busy Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.

Disastrous Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after disappointed fans tore 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 adoring supporters had forked out 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 enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."

The unrest, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

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

Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the international legend online 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 sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football 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 Root of His Vast Popularity in India

Messi's popularity is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.