(Reuters Photo)
To the delight of football fans in Kerala, the Argentina national football team, led by Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni, has announced its official schedule for the rest of 2025. The team will play two FIFA-sanctioned international friendlies. The first series will be held in the United States from October 6 to 14, but details about the opponents and venues are yet to be finalized.
The second series will be held in Luanda, Angola, and Kerala, India from November 10 to 18. The opponents for these matches are yet to be finalized, but Argentina has officially confirmed that Kerala will host one of the matches. This puts an end to months of speculation and rumours.
The visit is historic for India as Messi will be returning to India 14 years after Argentina played a memorable friendly against Venezuela in Kolkata in 2011. Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman has already informed. Earlier, there were reports that Kerala might not be able to host the match due to logistical and contractual issues, but the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the Kerala government have now confirmed that Messi and the team will play in ‘God’s Own Country’. Considering Kerala’s boundless love for football, the state can be expected to witness great excitement and an unforgettable football festival when the world champions set foot on Indian soil. Apart from this, Messi is also coming to India for another event in December.
