Peaceful End to Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd roared his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media stated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.

A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.

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

Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after disappointed fans destroyed 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 paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by indulging in violence."

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

The promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Successful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader 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 reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of Messi's Vast Fame in India

Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and wide 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.