When the defending world champions Argentina, led by star player Lionel Messi, visit Kerala in November for a friendly match, their likely opponents will be Australia, according to media reports on Tuesday.

If the reports hold true, it will be a moment of celebration for football fans in Kerala, as Kochi could witness two top teams clash, Argentina, the reigning world champions, and Australia, a familiar face at the World Cup and currently ranked 25th in the FIFA rankings.

However, there has been no official confirmation yet on Argentina’s opponents for the friendlies scheduled between November 10 and 18. Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman declined to comment on the reports, saying that no decision has been taken so far. In August, the minister had said that Australia expressed interest in playing the friendlies.

Meanwhile, an official representing the Argentine Football Association is expected to arrive in Kochi today to inspect the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor and assess its safety, according to reports.

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The Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram was initially considered for the event but was deemed unsuitable after an inspection, primarily because of the presence of hard cricket wickets.

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