Peaceful End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India After Kolkata Chaos

Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his event there.

A Busy Schedule Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

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

Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a troubled start after angry fans ripped up seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is immensely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless ardent supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

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

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

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

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

Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor 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 greeting large fan crowds 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 Source of His Immense Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his lengthy international career and extensive 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 known as the beautiful game.