New Delhi: Superstar Lionel Messi will also visit Kerala along with the Argentine football team. The Argentine team and Messi will be visiting Kerala in October this year. The team’s sponsors, HSBC, have announced that the Argentine team will also play an exhibition match here. When Argentina comes to India after 14 years, the exhibition match will be played in Kochi. Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman had earlier said that the Argentine team will play two friendly matches in Kerala. HSBC India has signed an agreement with Argentina with the aim of growing football in India. “As part of the partnership, the Argentine team, including the legendary player Messi, will play a friendly match in Kochi,” HSBC India said in a statement. The Argentine team had come to Kolkata to play in September 2011. Lionel Messi also played in a friendly match against Venezuela. Argentina won the match by a score of 1-0 in front of a packed crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
