Thiruvananthapuram: Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi is unlikely to visit Kerala in March, as Argentina’s international matches will be held in Qatar, not India.

Earlier, Argentina was scheduled to play two matches in March, including a high-profile Finalissima match against European champions Spain on March 27 at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. Four days later, on March 31, the reigning world champions will face Qatar in a friendly match.

Earlier, a sponsor had announced that Messi would visit Kerala in March, raising expectations among football fans in the state. However, the confirmed fixtures indicate that the Argentine team will not travel to India during this international window.

The Argentina national football team had earlier ruled out a proposed visit to Kerala in November, despite initial reports suggesting otherwise. Subsequently, sponsors said Messi’s visit could be possible in the next international window and claimed that an application had been submitted to FIFA.

With both March matches now scheduled in Qatar, it has become clear that Messi will not be visiting Kerala during this period, disappointing fans who were hoping to see the football icon play in the state.