Fernando Romero Nuñez Fourteen years after their last visit to India, Lionel Messi could be making a return alongside the Argentine men’s national football team. Allegedly.
Chief Minister of Kerala province Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Wednesday that the Qatar 2022 winners would play a match there in 2025. However, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has denied any knowledge of the matter.
“Kerala is set to make history as FIFA World Cup Champions Argentina are expected to visit next year!” wrote Vijayan in his X account, saying the project was “becoming a reality” with the support from the Indian government and AFA.
In a Facebook post — where he lauded Messi as “one of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen” — he went into further detail.
“The business community of Kerala has expressed its willingness to bear the financial costs,” he wrote, adding that he expected the visit of AFA officials who had “taken a positive stance from the beginning” and were expected “within a month and a half to make an official announcement.”
Despite the announcement, the news is far from confirmed. A spokesperson for the AFA told the Herald they had no knowledge of the situation. “We’ve got absolutely nothing about that,” they said.
The Indian Embassy in Argentina said they were unable to provide further details.
The last time Messi visited India was in 2011. The match, which marked the debut of Alejandro Sabella as Albiceleste’s head coach, was a 1-0 win against Venezuela. Played at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, the goal starred two Scaloneta members, as defender Nicolás Otamendi headed a Messi corner in the second half.