Calm Conclusion to Lionel Messi's India Tour In the Wake of Unrest in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, a multitude of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami attacker.

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami team-mates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, local media indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

An Intense Itinerary Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a massive statue of himself, constructed over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Kickoff 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 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 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 rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by resorting to violence."

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

The event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, 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 concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star online 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 sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling 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 pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Root of His Great Appeal in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his prolific international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.