Row over Messi mission: Argentina team official denies fault, passes the buck to Kerala government
Thiruvananthapuram: The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has claimed that the Kerala government breached the agreement related to the proposed visit of Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala.
Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer of the AFA, responded to a sports journalist who asked about the reported cancellation of the team’s visit despite a payment of nearly Rs 130 crore.
A communication shared by the journalist shows Petersen denying that Argentina was at fault. Petersen responded that the allegation is false, referring to claims that Argentina cancelled after receiving the money. He also added that the Kerala government breached the contract, though he did not give further details about the nature of the breach.
Kerala sponsor claims Rs 130 crore paid to AFA
Anto Augustine, MD of Reporter Broadcasting and one of the event sponsors, stated during a press conference that around Rs 130 crore had been paid to bring Messi and the national team to Kerala for a match in 2025.
According to Augustine, the AFA had signed an agreement to play a match in Kerala this year. However, the AFA has now reportedly postponed the match to September 2026.
Augustine stated that the organisers want the match to be held this year, and warned that cancelling the agreement could result in massive financial losses. He also mentioned that legal action may be taken if the agreement is not upheld.
State Sports Minister previously announced Messi's arrival
Back in 2024, Kerala’s Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman had officially announced that Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team would visit Kerala in 2025. He also shared that the Argentine Football Academy had shown interest in launching a training academy in Kerala and hosting friendly matches.
At that time, the move was seen as a major step toward building Kerala’s sports economy and improving its international sports partnerships.