Football legend Lionel Messi to play in India? Kerala sports minister provides BIG update on Argentina team’s visit

The announcement would serve as a new beacon of hope for football fans in one of India’s remaining football centers. Previously, multiple media outlets had reported that Argentina’s planned visit had been called off.

Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman confirmed on Saturday that the renowned Argentine footballer Lionel Messi is set to visit Kerala for a friendly match. The state government had previously announced last year that they would organize a friendly game for Argentina, with their national team traveling to the country for this purpose.

However, there had been no updates regarding the fixture even after six months, which sparked discussions about Lionel Messi and the Argentine football team’s visit to the state. Some media outlets reported that Argentina had canceled their plans to come to Kerala due to breaches of contract by the sponsor.

Nevertheless, both Minister Abdurahiman and the sponsor, Reporter Broadcasting Company, denied these claims, asserting that the match would proceed as scheduled. He also suggested that the match is likely to occur during the FIFA window in October–November.

Abdurrahiman addressed all the speculation with a Facebook post on Saturday, stating, “Messi will come,” and expressed gratitude to the sponsors for facilitating the event.

“The sponsor has now paid the amount. There are no remaining obstacles. As per the FIFA window, October-November is the ideal period for such international friendlies. So that timeframe is likely for us as well,” he said while speaking to the media.

The Argentinian football team will confirm the tour and provide details once the payment has been officially processed. The friendly match is expected to take place at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

“The government has no involvement in the financial dealings. The contract is entirely between the sponsor and the team management. We were informed by the sponsor that the match fee has been settled,” he explained.

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