Lionel Messi will accompany the Argentina team to play a friendly match in India after 14 years. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced this on Wednesday. Earlier, Messi visited India in 2011, when Argentina played a World Cup qualification match against Venezuela at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had announced in November last year that the Argentina team would visit Kerala and play two friendly matches in Kochi. HSBC India on Wednesday became the official partner of the Argentina team to support and promote football in India. It announced that the matches will be held in October.
HSBC India said that under this partnership, the Argentina national football team, including legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit India to play an international exhibition match in October 2025.