Peaceful End to Messi's Visit to India In the Wake of Disorder in Kolkata

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has wrapped up his multi-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.

As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates 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 chanted his name.

His flight from Mumbai had been delayed due to fog, sources indicated, and his agenda had to be shortened. On Saturday, frustrated fans vandalised a Kolkata stadium because they didn't get to see him during his appearance there.

An Intense Schedule Spanning Multiple Cities

Messi had a packed schedule in India, participating in a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since touching down in the pre-dawn of Saturday.

Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a massive statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the city in eastern India.

Troubled Start in Football-Crazy Kolkata

The tour, however, got off to a troubled start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and flung items towards the pitch at the stadium.

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

However, the majority 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.

"Poor management of a much-publicized event, poor coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – denied even a glimpse of Messi – "vented their anger by engaging in violence."

The ruckus, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 taken into custody, police said, and a city court has ordered Satadru Dutta to 14 days in police custody.

Successful Visits in Hyderabad and Mumbai

Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.

Messi also encountered several political figures 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 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 Root of His Great Appeal in India

Messi's appeal stems not just from his prolific international career and wide 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 called the beautiful game.