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

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – sending balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be cut down. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.

A Packed Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a packed schedule in India, taking part in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely revealed a 21-meter statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Disastrous Start in Soccer-Mad Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a chaotic start after frustrated fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, the majority 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 hurriedly escorted away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

The ruckus, which captured international headlines, marred Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.

The organizer in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the global icon on social media and in media interviews.

Messi also met several politicians 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 interactions, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were rumors 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 scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Reason of His Immense Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.