Editorial Football Indian football

The Argentina national football team, led by Lionel Messi, has confirmed they will play a friendly match in Kerala this November.

August 23, 2025
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After months of speculation and negotiations, Argentina will finally set foot in Kerala this November for an international friendly, with the Argentina Football Association (AFA) confirming the trip on Saturday.

In its announcement, the AFA stated that Lionel Scaloni’s side will play two sets of FIFA friendlies later this year — the first in the United States in October, followed by matches in Luanda (Angola) and Kerala during the November international window. The opponents are yet to be decided.

Argentina’s decision to travel to Kerala is widely seen as a gesture of gratitude to the state’s passionate fan base. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Malayali supporters turned entire towns into mini-Argentina hubs, drawing global attention. The AFA itself acknowledged this support days after their triumph in Doha, thanking fans in Kerala, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan through a post on social media.

 

Kerala quickly acted on the sentiment. Sports minister V Abdurahiman wrote to AFA president Claudio Tapia, extending an official invitation. A year later, in November 2024, the minister confirmed that Argentina had agreed to visit, describing it as a “thank you trip” for the state’s unwavering football love.

However, the plan briefly ran into turbulence earlier this month after AFA’s marketing chief Leandro Petersen accused Kerala of failing to honour commitments. Minister Abdurahiman downplayed the remarks, insisting that only AFA president Tapia had the authority over the deal, and reaffirmed that the arrangement remained intact despite scheduling hurdles.

Kerala will not be Messi’s only stop in India this year. The World Cup-winning captain is also expected to embark on a stand-alone four-city tour in December, beginning in Kolkata on December 12 and moving on to Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

This will mark Messi’s second appearance in India. His first came in 2011, when he captained Argentina against Venezuela in a friendly at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium — his very first match as Argentina skipper.

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