Malappuram: Kerala will host two friendly games involving football world champions Argentina next year, state Sports Minister V Abdurahiman has said.
The Lionel Messi-led Argentine side is expected to come down to the state in October, 2025, the minister revealed in a Facebook post. According to him, the decision was made at an online meeting with the office-bearers of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the governing body of football in the South American nation.
Earlier, the Argentine national side had offered to visit Kerala in June in response to an invitation extended by the state government. During the virtual meeting, the officials representing the state government requested the AFA to consider rescheduling the trip in view of the southwest monsoon which normally sets over Kerala in the first week of June. Following discussions, the AFA officials confirmed that the world champions would travel to Kerala in October, 2025, the minister wrote on his Facebook page.
He added that the AFA had also expressed its keenness to enter into a partnership with the state government to promote football talent together. "The AFA will provide training to 5,000 children under the state government's 'Goal' project," the minister said.
Pablo Joaquin Diaz, AFA's head of international relations, Pranabjyoti Nath, secretary, Kerala Sports and Youth Affairs Department, and Kerala Football Association president Navas Meeran attended the meeting.
