Kochi: Lionel Messi is prone to come to India. Once more. To not Kolkata this time however Kerala.
The 2025 go to will likely be Messi’s second to India following his 2011 journey to Kolkata for a world pleasant towards Venezuela. (AFP)
Kerala’s sports activities minister V Abdurahiman mentioned on Wednesday that the Argentina nationwide soccer crew, together with its talismanic skipper, is predicted to go to the state and play a world pleasant subsequent yr.
The assertion was made following discussions between the state’s sports activities ministry led by Abdurahiman and the Argentine Soccer Affiliation (AFA) in Madrid final September. Kerala chief minister Pinayari Vijayan additionally made an identical announcement by way of a Fb publish.
“The world’s number 1 football team Argentina including Lionel Messi will visit Kerala next year. The match will be held under the complete supervision of the state government. The state’s traders have promised to provide financial assistance to conduct the match,” Abdurahiman instructed reporters.
The minister mentioned the AFA officers will go to Kerala within the subsequent one-and-a half months to carry additional talks. Requested when the crew together with Messi are prone to go to and who they are going to play towards, the minister mentioned: “Those details will be chalked out later. The match will have to be conducted as per the FIFA window for international friendlies.” Kochi is without doubt one of the choices to host the match, Abdurahiman mentioned.
The chief minister mentioned the go to of the Argentine crew can be an acknowledgement of the state’s love for the game.
Meeting elections in Kerala is slated for early 2026.
Kerala boasts of an enormous fan base of the Argentina soccer crew, significantly Messi. Celebrations had damaged out in numerous components of the state in 2022 when the crew below Messi lifted the World Cup in Qatar.
This will likely be Messi’s second go to to India. In September 2011, he had include the Argentina crew to play a pleasant towards Venezuela in Kolkata. That pleasant, which Argentina received 1-0 by way of Nicolas Otamedi’s aim, was additionally the primary time Messi had worn the captain’s armband.
The journey that started at Salt Lake stadium has seen Messi, 37, win Copa America and the World Cup. Messi just isn’t the primary from the World Cup profitable crew to go to India. Emiliano Martínez, the Argentina goalkeeper instrumental in them profitable the World Cup in Qatar, was. Martinez visited Kolkata in July 2023.
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