Soccer legend Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in hazy Delhi, following a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, thousands of fans assembled in a Delhi stadium to see the Argentina and Inter Miami striker.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami colleagues Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled on the pitch – kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children, and signing autographs – the crowd roared his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been held up due to fog, local media reported, and his schedule had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they were unable to view him during his event there.
A Busy Agenda Spanning Several Metropolises
Messi had a packed schedule in India, attending a succession of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since arriving in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally revealed a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, built over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the city in eastern India.
Disastrous Beginning in Football-Crazy Kolkata
The tour, however, began with a disastrous start after frustrated fans ripped up 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 countless adoring supporters had spent up to 12,000 rupees to attend the event.
However, many were unable to catch a glimpse of him as he was enveloped by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then hurriedly escorted away as the situation turned hostile.
"Poor management of a hyped-up event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – prevented from seeing of Messi – "vented their anger by indulging in violence."
The unrest, which grabbed international headlines, cast a shadow over Messi's first visit to India since 2011 for what has been termed a 'GOAT [greatest of all time] tour'.
The promoter in Kolkata has been arrested, police said, and a city court has remanded Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Peaceful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai went off without a hitch, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the world-famous star on social media and in media interviews.
Messi also had meetings with several politicians 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 acknowledging large fan assemblies in stadiums and juggling the ball with groups of children.
There were speculation earlier that Messi would meet Narendra Modi in Delhi, but the Indian prime minister departed on Monday morning on a planned visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The Root of His Vast Popularity in India
Messi's popularity comes not only from his prolific international career and wide TV coverage of European football – he's the all-time top scorer for Barcelona – but also the emotional connection that millions of Indians have with what is often referred to as the beautiful game.
