Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, following a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources stated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

A Packed Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

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

Chaotic Beginning in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

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

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

However, the majority were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight 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 remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

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

The Source of Messi's Immense Fame in India

Messi's fame stems not just from his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.