Smooth Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata

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

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

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

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports stated, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities

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

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

Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

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

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."

The ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed 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.

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media 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 juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were rumors earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of His Immense Popularity in India

Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.