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

Football superstar Lionel Messi has finished his multi-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates 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 flight from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media stated, and his itinerary had to be cut down. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, taking part in a succession of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city.

Disastrous Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

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

Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and countless adoring supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, the majority 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 hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

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

Smooth Events in Other Cities

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the global icon on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also had meetings with several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

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

There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of His Vast Fame in India

Messi's popularity stems not just from his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.