The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has held the Kerala government responsible for the cancellation of Lionel Messi‘s planned visit to India this October, citing unfulfilled contractual obligations. The visit, which was to feature La Albiceleste playing two games, has been called off amid conflicting statements and disagreements over scheduling and commitments.
Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman announced that the World Cup champions would not be able to visit India as initially planned due to scheduling complications affecting the October timeline. The minister made this announcement on August 4, indicating that Argentina’s team was encountering difficulties in confirming their tour dates within India.
Dispute Arises Over Responsibility for Visit Cancellation
While the Kerala government has limited its interest to hosting the team only during October, AFA’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, Leandro Petersen, publicly disputed this claim, accusing the state of breaching the contract. Petersen firmly rejected the government’s statement to Onmanorama, saying,
“Not true, no way. The one who did not fulfil the agreement was the Kerala government. It breached the contract.”
Petersen, however, did not provide further details explaining precisely how the government failed to meet the agreed terms. The situation remains tense as no additional clarifications have been released by either party. Initially, Abdurahiman had announced the Argentine team’s India tour last September but recently confirmed that the deal had fallen through.
According to documents obtained via the Right to Information Act, the Kerala government allocated INR 13 lakh for a delegation’s visit to Spain to discuss arrangements with Argentina’s football team, emphasizing the significance initially placed on securing Messi’s appearance.
Thomas Muller Comments on Competing Against Lionel Messi
In a related development within the football world, Thomas Muller, the newly signed Vancouver Whitecaps player, reflected on his encounters with Lionel Messi as they prepare to compete in Major League Soccer (<a href=”https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/soccer/mls/”>MLS). Muller spoke positively about their rivalry in a recent interview conducted by the Whitecaps, highlighting Messi’s consistent performance on the field.
Regarding his rivalry, Muller stated,
“The competition with Leo Messi is closer to a positive rivalry. I faced him several times in big matches, and when you see what he’s doing now, it’s astonishing. I think he scores in almost every match.”
Muller and Messi have met a total of ten times—four matches representing their national teams and six at the club level. Their most recent meeting took place during the Round of 16 in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, where Bayern Munich, Muller’s former club, defeated Messi’s team 3-0 on aggregate. After spending over twenty years with Bayern Munich, Muller moved to the Vancouver Whitecaps on a free transfer this summer.
The cancellation of Messi’s visit to India is a significant setback for Kerala’s sporting plans and reflects ongoing challenges in coordinating high-profile international events. The controversy underscores the difficulties that can arise between state authorities and international organizations when scheduling and contractual expectations are not aligned. How this dispute unfolds could have lasting effects on future sporting engagements in the region.