Kerala Sports Minister Accuses Argentina of Betrayal Over Cancelled Friendly Match
Accusations Against Argentina's Football Association
Five months after Argentina's national football team was scheduled to play an international friendly in Kochi, Kerala's sports minister has expressed his grievances, accusing the world champions of deceit. He stated that the Argentinian Football Association accepted funds but later reneged on their commitment to travel to India.
Initially, the Argentine governing body had announced plans to hold a match in India during the November international break. However, this was postponed, with hopes that it would occur during the March international window, which ultimately did not happen. Abdurahiman, the sports minister, revealed that securing sponsors to gather the ₹250 crore required for the match was a challenging task. He further alleged that Argentina had similarly misled other nations.
"I engaged in numerous discussions to arrange the ₹250 crore payment to the international team. After receiving the funds, the Argentine team betrayed us. We never anticipated such treachery from them, failing to honor their promise to come," Abdurahiman shared in an interview with a local TV channel. He added that Argentina had taken money from various countries without fulfilling their commitments, suggesting that legal action might be necessary to seek compensation. This situation has left football fans in Kerala feeling disheartened.
The match was particularly significant as it would have marked Lionel Messi's first appearance on Indian soil in 15 years. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had previously played in India during a friendly against Venezuela in Kolkata back in 2011, which was notable for being his first match as captain of the national team. Although Messi visited India in December for the 'GOAT tour,' that event was marred by controversy, with disturbances occurring in Kolkata as fans stormed the pitch, leading to damage at the stadium. The event's organizer faced legal repercussions, spending 37 days in jail. Following the Kolkata incident, Messi's subsequent appearances in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi went off without a hitch.