Calm End to Lionel Messi's Visit to India Following Unrest in Kolkata

Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a disorderly 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 colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, walked onto the pitch – booting balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd shouted his name.

His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports indicated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his visit there.

A Busy Agenda Spanning Multiple Cities

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

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

Chaotic Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, started with a disastrous start after disappointed fans ripped up seats and hurled items towards the pitch at the stadium.

Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to witness the event.

However, most of them were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation grew violent.

"Faulty planning of a highly anticipated event, disorganization" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger 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 event organiser in Kolkata has been detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.

Successful Engagements in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also met 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 acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

There were reports 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 planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of Messi's Immense Appeal in India

Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.