KOCHI: The Argentina national football team, led by Lionel Messi, will play a friendly match in Kerala this November, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Saturday.
After months of planning, the AFA said coach Lionel Scaloni’s team will play two sets of FIFA friendlies this year — first in the United States in October, then in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala in November. The opponent for the Kerala match has not been announced.
The visit is a gesture to Kerala’s football fans. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, fans in Kerala showed strong support for Argentina, drawing global attention. The AFA thanked fans in Kerala, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan for their support.
Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman invited the team officially, calling it a “thank you trip” for the fans’ love for football.
Earlier, there was a minor issue when AFA’s marketing chief said Kerala had not met some commitments. Minister Abdurahiman clarified that only AFA president Claudio Tapia had authority, and the Kerala match is still on.
Messi will also visit four other cities in India in December, starting in Kolkata on December 12, followed by Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.
This will be Messi’s second appearance in India. He first played in 2011, captaining Argentina against Venezuela at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, his first match as team captain.