India, Dec. 14 -- Lionel Messi's India tour has gripped the nation, drawing massive crowds eager to catch a glimpse of arguably the greatest footballer of all time. The Argentine legend began his visit on December 13 in Kolkata, but the opening leg quickly became controversial due to poor crowd management, forcing Messi to leave the Salt Lake Stadium early and triggering criticism of the organisers. The tone shifted later that evening when Messi travelled to Hyderabad, where the event unfolded smoothly. Around 50,000 fans turned up to witness the spectacle, with tighter arrangements and better crowd control ensuring a far more seamless and memorable Messi-mania experience.

The tour reached Mumbai on Sunday, drawing a host of big names, b...