Smooth End to Messi's India Tour After Disorder in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in smog-filled Delhi, in the wake of a disorderly opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentina and Inter Miami attacker.

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

His flight from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources indicated, and his itinerary had to be shortened. On Saturday, disappointed fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.

A Packed Schedule Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a string of marketing 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 virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Start in Football-Loving Kolkata

The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after angry fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.

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

However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was accompanied by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation turned hostile.

"Faulty planning of a hyped-up event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."

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

The event organiser in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Engagements in Other Cities

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai concluded peacefully, with fans expressing their joy at seeing the world-famous star on social media 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 cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these engagements, Messi could be seen greeting large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were speculation 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 His Vast Popularity in India

Messi's fame comes not only from his long international career and extensive 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.