Peaceful Finish 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 pollution-choked Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans congregated in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.

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 shouted his name.

His aircraft from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, sources indicated, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, disappointed fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his visit there.

A Packed Agenda Across Multiple Cities

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, attending a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down 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, built over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a chaotic start after frustrated fans tore 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 ardent supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, most of them 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 quickly whisked away as the situation became tense.

"Inept organization of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "scene of chaos", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."

The disturbance, which made international headlines, overshadowed 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 detained, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai

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

Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor 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 waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.

There were rumors earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister left the country on Monday morning on a scheduled visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of His Great Fame in India

Messi's appeal is due to more than his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that countless Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.