Smooth Finish to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered 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 held up due to fog, local media stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

A Busy Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.

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

Chaotic Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a chaotic start after angry fans tore 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 countless devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."

The unrest, which captured international headlines, overshadowed 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon online and in media interviews.

Messi also had meetings with several political figures 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 engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds 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 left the country on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of Messi's Great Appeal in India

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