Global football icon Lionel Messi has finished his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a turbulent opening in Kolkata.
On Monday, countless fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentinian and Inter Miami forward.
As Messi, alongside Inter Miami team-mates 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 roared his name.
His plane from Mumbai had been postponed due to fog, sources reported, and his agenda had to be trimmed. On Saturday, angry fans damaged a Kolkata stadium because they failed to see him during his appearance there.
An Intense Agenda Across Multiple Cities
Messi had a busy schedule in India, taking part in a series of brand events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai since landing in the pre-dawn of Saturday.
Before heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he digitally presented a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-person crew in the eastern city.
Chaotic Beginning in Football-Loving Kolkata
The tour, however, got off to a disastrous start after angry fans ripped up 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 thousands of devoted 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 accompanied by officials and celebrities on his quick walk around the stadium and then rapidly taken away as the situation became tense.
"Poor management of a much-publicized event, disorganization" and safety failures turned the stadium into a "war zone", as fans – not allowed even a sight of Messi – "expressed their fury by resorting to violence."
The unrest, which made 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 sent Satadru Dutta to 14 days in custody.
Successful Events in Hyderabad and Mumbai
Messi's events in Hyderabad and Mumbai passed off smoothly, with fans showing their happiness at seeing the international legend online and in press interactions.
Messi also met several political figures and celebrities – film actor Shah Rukh Khan in Kolkata, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in Hyderabad, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.
In between these interactions, Messi could be seen greeting large fan gatherings in stadiums and playing football 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 Source of Messi's Great 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 highest goal-getter for Barcelona – but also the strong affinity that millions of Indians have with what is often called the beautiful game.
