The arrival of the Argentina football team and star player Lionel Messi in Kerala for a friendly encounter in November of this year was confirmed by Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman on Saturday.
He was addressing reporters in Thiruvananthapuram after the Argentina Football Association (AFA) declared that their national side, under manager Lionel Scaloni, would go to Luanda, Angola, and Kerala for friendly matches.
The administration had originally asked AFA to set the match for either October or November of this year, according to Abdurahiman.
“Initially, AFA planned it for 2026. However, we contacted them and requested that they hold the match in Kerala this year. Now, AFA has officially confirmed it. We intend to bring the Argentina squad that won the 2022 World Cup,” the minister said.
Expressing his happiness, Abdurahiman added, “A lot of effort has gone into bringing the Argentina football team to Kerala. We have started planning the rest of the arrangements and will soon discuss the details, including the venue, with the Chief Minister”.
According to him, the game is keenly anticipated by several lakh football lovers in the state. “Our intention is to provide a platform for fans to see Messi play in Kerala,” he said.
The minister added that a government order had been issued in this regard and that the event had been approved by the Reserve Bank of India and the Union Sports Ministry.
Regarding the opposition team, he said, “We will select a team from among FIFA’s top 50. Several teams have approached us. The Australian football team has expressed interest, and we also have a sports exchange agreement with them. Similarly, three or four other teams have contacted us.”
