Peaceful Conclusion to Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata

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

On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.

A Busy Agenda Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of ardent supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, most of them failed to see him as he was surrounded 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 much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."

The ruckus, which grabbed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend online and in media interviews.

Messi also had meetings with several politicians 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 waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with 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 His Vast Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.