Argentina FA confirms interest to play in Kerala: Sports minister

Argentina confirmed its 'interest' to play in Kerala, claimed state's sports minister V Abdurahiman on Tuesday.

"We have received a mail from Argentina FA confirming their interest to play in Kerala. But we are thinking about which month to play as July is rainy season in Kerala. We will have a face to face meeting to decide the dates," said V Abdurahiman.

In June 2023, the minister said that the Argentina national football team expressed its interest in playing a match in Kerala.

Earlier, Abdurahiman had publicly stated his desire to host the Argentine team in the state after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said that the Argentine federation approached them with an inquiry about sponsorship for a match against a neutral opponent.

The AIFF, on the occasion, refused to host Argentina as the reigning World Cup champions did not align with India's condition - giving Blue Tigers a chance to play against the world champions.

Taking note of this, Abdurahiman promptly expressed his interest in bringing the Argentina national team to Kerala. He mentioned that the state would make efforts to raise the necessary funds, estimated to be around 40 crores, to facilitate the visit.

As Abdurahiman provided a fresh update about the chance of seeing legendary Lionel Messi in the Argentina jersey live from a Kerala stadium, it has sparked fresh enthusiasm among football enthusiasts in Kerala, one of India's most football-crazy states.