Argentina football team, led by Messi, to play 2 matches in Kerala next year, confirms minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman announced on Wednesday that the Argentina football team, featuring the iconic Lionel Messi, will visit the state next year for an international match.

 Speaking at a press conference, the minister confirmed that the event will be organised with full support and oversight from the state government. "All the financial assistance for organising this high-profile football event will be provided by the merchants of the state," the minister said, expressing confidence in Kerala's ability to host the historic occasion.

Earlier, Kerala sent a high-level delegation to hold discussions with the Argentina Football Association (AFA) in Spain. Minister V. Abdurahiman, who led the delegation, stated that the meetings in Madrid with AFA officials were promising, as they explored the possibility of Argentina’s three-time World Cup winners (1978, 1986, 2022) visiting Kerala. “We have held excellent discussions on how an exhibition match of the Argentina team could be held in Kerala and as a follow-up on our discussion, a delegation of the AFA will be visiting Kerala shortly,” Abdurahiman said in a statement.

The AFA also indicated an interest in establishing football academies in Kerala in collaboration with the state government, which the Minister described as a potential major boost for the region’s sports infrastructure.

With agency inputs