Took Keralites for a ride with empty promises; AFA announces Argentina's March window games

KOCHI: The Argentine football Association announced their games for the March window, much to the chagrin of fans in Kerala. Argentina is playing two matches in Qatar on March 27 and 31. After the ‘Finalissima’ match with Spain in the FIFA window on the 27th, Argentina will also play a friendly match with Qatar on the 31st. With the games confirmed, it is now certain that Lionel Messi will not be visiting the southern Indian state this year, either.

Earlier, Sponsor Anto Augustine claimed that the Argentina team would visit Kerala in March. Last year, Messi visited Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.

The state sports department has maintained that it is not aware of any decisions taken to bring the Argentine football team to Kerala. The department has clarified under the Right to Information Act that although the government has given sponsorship to a private TV channel company to bring Messi and his team to Kerala, no agreement has been reached.

Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman had also said that the Argentine team would be visiting Kerala in March for a friendly match. The minister had announced in November last year that an agreement was reached to bring Messi in March and that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) would make an announcement in this regard soon.