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

Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto 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 delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

An Intense Itinerary Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a string of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.

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

Troubled Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after disappointed 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 a multitude of devoted 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 surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."

The unrest, which captured international headlines, marred 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Smooth Events in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with 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 engagements, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

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

The Source of His Vast Popularity in India

Messi's fame comes not only from his long international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.