Smooth Finish to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos

Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

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

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

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his visit there.

An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the early hours of Saturday.

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

Disastrous Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a troubled start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 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 short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a much-publicized event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."

The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the international legend on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also had meetings with several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these interactions, 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 departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of His Great Appeal in India

Messi's appeal is due to more than his lengthy international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.