Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Kolkata Chaos

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

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

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports reported, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.

A Busy Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a string 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 digitally presented a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after disappointed fans destroyed 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, many failed to see him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by indulging in violence."

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

The promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Successful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were reports earlier that Messi would meet 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 Messi's Vast Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and wide 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.