Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Unrest in Kolkata

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates 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 aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

A Busy Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a series of marketing 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 digitally revealed a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 paid 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, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

The unrest, which made 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 promoter in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Successful Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.

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

In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of Messi's Immense Appeal in India

Messi's popularity stems not just from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.