Calm Conclusion to Messi's India Tour After Unrest in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, joined by 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 roared his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, reports reported, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.

A Busy Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises

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

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.

Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after disappointed 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 thousands of devoted supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.

"Inept organization of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

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

The organizer in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Successful Events in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of Messi's Great Fame in India

Messi's popularity comes not only from 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 a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.