Peaceful Finish to Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata

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

On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates 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 chanted his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources reported, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

An Intense Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a succession 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, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Kickoff in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after angry 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 countless adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "released their frustration 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 organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Successful Visits in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several politicians 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 interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of His Vast Appeal in India

Messi's fame stems not just from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.