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

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly 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, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.

A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities

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

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.

Troubled Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began 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 thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.

"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

The disturbance, which captured 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 detained, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Peaceful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

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 encountered several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these interactions, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan assemblies 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India

Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.