Calm End to Lionel Messi's India Tour Following Disorder in Kolkata

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.

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

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and giving signatures – the crowd chanted his name.

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

A Packed Agenda Across Several Metropolises

Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the early hours of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he remotely presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a large crew in the eastern city.

Chaotic Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after disappointed 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 devoted supporters had forked out up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.

However, the majority failed to see him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation became tense.

"Poor management of a highly anticipated event, lack of co-ordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."

The disturbance, which captured international headlines, marred 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 sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in detention.

Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's visits to Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in press interactions.

Messi also encountered several political figures and celebrities – Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, political figure Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.

In between these meetings, Messi could be seen waving to large fan crowds in stadiums and playing football with groups of children.

There were speculation earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a pre-arranged visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.

The Source of Messi's Vast Fame in India

Messi's appeal comes not only from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the record scorer for Barcelona – but also the deep bond that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.