Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

A Packed Itinerary Spanning Multiple Cities

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

Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed 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 adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, many 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 quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."

The disturbance, which grabbed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's appearances 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 had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen acknowledging large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 Reason of His Great Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and extensive 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 called the beautiful game.