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

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

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

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his event there.

An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities

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

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.

Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."

The unrest, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been dubbed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Successful Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet 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 Root of Messi's Immense Fame in India

Messi's appeal comes not only from his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.