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

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

On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

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 giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, local media reported, and his schedule had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

A Busy Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.

Chaotic Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after angry fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is hugely 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, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse 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 organizer in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Successful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered 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 assemblies 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 traveled abroad on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of Messi's Immense Popularity in India

Messi's popularity comes not only from his long international career and broad 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.