Global football icon Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a disorderly 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, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, entered the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, playing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd chanted his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, reports stated, and his schedule had to be shortened. On Saturday, angry fans wrecked a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Busy Itinerary Across Several Metropolises
Messi had a hectic schedule in India, participating in a series of marketing events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before making his way to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually presented 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, started with a chaotic start after frustrated fans destroyed seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium.
Football is hugely popular in West Bengal state – of which Kolkata is the capital – and a multitude of devoted supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees to be at the event.
However, the majority didn't even get to see him as he was accompanied 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 hyped-up event, poor coordination" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by engaging in violence."
The unrest, which captured international headlines, cast a shadow over 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 arrested, police said, and a city court has sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Smooth Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans sharing their delight at seeing the world-famous star online and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with 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 engagements, Messi could be seen waving to large fan assemblies in stadiums and dribbling the ball with groups of children.
There were reports earlier that Messi would have a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister traveled abroad on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Reason of Messi's Great Appeal in India
Messi's popularity is due to more than his lengthy international career and broad TV coverage of European football – he's the highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that a huge number of Indians have with what is often known as the beautiful game.
