Lionel Messi will not play in India in November
Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Lionel Messi will not play in India
- Messi last played on Indian soil in 2011
- Argentina were supposed to play an international friendly in Kerala
The dream of Indian fans to watch Lionel Messi play in the country after 14 years has been hit with a major blow as Argentina’s scheduled friendly in November in Kerala will not take place anymore, with the world champions confirming a change in plans.
After months of the Kerala government being public about their plans of hosting the Messi-led outfit, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) confirmed that they will visit India as part of the two friendly games they will play in the November international break.
However, their latest announcement has stated that the fixture will not take place anymore, with La Albiceleste set to play just one fixture in November, which will take place in Angolo.
“The Argentine national team, led by Lionel Scaloni, will travel to Spain in November for training and then move to Luanda for their only friendly against Angola on Friday, the 14th. After the match, the delegation will return to the old continent (South America) to continue their training until November 18th, the day the FIFA World Cup (International Break) concludes,” said a statement by the AFA.
Why Is Lionel Messi-led Argentina Not Coming To India?
The event’s sponsor, Anto Augustine, stated that the reason behind the delay was a lack of clearance from FIFA.
“Due to the delay in getting approval from FIFA, a decision to postpone the match scheduled in the November window was taken during a meeting with an AFA official. The match in Kerala will be played in the next window. The announcement (will be made) soon,” he wrote.
It is worth noting that the next international break is only in March, when Argentina are already scheduled to play Spain in the Finalissima. This will be the last set of international fixtures before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Messi’s only outing in India was in 2011 when Argentina played Venezuela in an international friendly at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.
However, the Argentina star will visit India in December for the ‘GOAT Tour’ and will hold public events in Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai.
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