Calm End to Messi's India Tour Following Kolkata Chaos

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has concluded his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, in the wake of a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, countless fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to catch a sight of the Argentinian and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, joined by Inter Miami teammates 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 roared his name.

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

A Packed Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises

Messi had a busy schedule in India, participating in a series of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the wee hours of Saturday.

Before traveling to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a large crew in the city in eastern India.

Chaotic Kickoff in Football-Crazy Kolkata

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

Football is extremely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and thousands of adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.

However, many didn't even get to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his short walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "released their frustration by resorting to violence."

The disturbance, 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 promoter in Kolkata has been taken into custody, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Smooth Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also met several politicians and celebrities – Bollywood star 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 greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.

There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet 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 Source of His Vast Fame in India

Messi's fame is due to more than his long international career and extensive TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that a huge number of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.