Sports Minister confirms football icon Messi will lead Argentina team in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 16 (IANS) Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Saturday reiterated that the Argentina football team, along with captain Lionel Messi, will arrive in Kerala in November to play a football match.

Incidentally, last week the Congress top leadership, including its state party president Sunny Joseph, took pot shots, asking Abdurahiman to come clean and said after raising high hopes over the news of Messi.

However, in reply to it on Saturday, the Minister clarified that Messi’s travel plans to other Indian states are part of a personal tour, not officially connected with the Argentina Football Association (AFA).

“So far, the Argentina team has not said they will skip Kerala. On the contrary, the government has been informed of their arrival in November. Necessary security arrangements have already been requested for the team,” said the Minister.

Abdurahiman also dismissed doubts that arose after the initial sponsor pulled out.

“The AFA has assured that the visit in November will take place with the new sponsor. My visit to Spain was not just to meet AFA officials, but also to discuss the new stadium project in Thiruvananthapuram with Spain’s Sports Council,” he added.

Meanwhile, early this week, reports surfaced that Messi will land in Kolkata on the 12th, travel to Ahmedabad on the 13th, attend programmes in Mumbai on the 14th, and conclude with a visit to Delhi on the 15th, where he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The contrasting announcements have created uncertainty, but Kerala officials remain confident that Messi and the Argentina squad will be in the state in November, underlining the government’s active coordination with the AFA.

One reason why the Congress party in Kerala launched a blistering attack on the state government after the AFA accused it of breaching a contract to bring Messi and the Argentina national team to the state.

It was the AFA’s Head of Marketing, Leandro Peterson, who claimed the deal collapsed because the Kerala government failed to meet its contractual obligations, but now hopes have been raised again with Abdurahiman confirming the event will take place.

--IANS

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