Peaceful Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources stated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.

A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities

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

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

Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after angry fans tore seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."

The disturbance, which grabbed international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed 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.

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 gatherings in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

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

The Source of Messi's Great Appeal in India

Messi's fame comes not only from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.