KOCHI: The Messi-in-Kerala dream has spiralled into a full-blown slugfest, with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the state government trading blame over the collapse of the plan.
On Saturday, reports claimed AFA official Leandro Peterson had accused the Kerala government of breaching the contract, a charge dismissed by Sports Minister V Abdurahiman as “baseless”, insisting that if the team skipped the October visit, it would be the AFA in breach.
The fresh twist has emboldened the Opposition Congress to go on the offensive, demanding that the government explain how a high-profile project, for which sponsors say they paid Rs 130 crore and the state spent lakhs on foreign trips, has spiralled into confusion, contract disputes and allegations of public money being wasted.
Abdurahiman had dampened football lovers’ hopes earlier this week, saying the visit by the Argentina team was “unlikely” to happen as planned.
As per some media reports, Leandro denied his side had breached the contract by postponing the tour to next year and instead pinned the blame on the Kerala government, though without detailing the alleged violations. The minister dismissed the reports and reiterated that Kerala was not interested in hosting the team next year.
Govt should come clean, says Cong
“If Argentina fail to visit Kerala in October, we will see it as a breach of contract and a case of cheating. We are actively trying to bring the team here as per the contract. When a country signs the contract and accepts the money in this, what else do we have to say,” he told reporters in Malappuram.
Meanwhile, the row has given the Congress fresh ammunition. KPCC chief Sunny Joseph demanded that the government come clean. “The state government should give a reply as they are being accused. Lakhs of rupees have already been spent. Now the AFA itself has made things clear. The people of the state should know the facts,” he said.
The project, unveiled with much fanfare in November 2024, was meant to showcase Kerala as a global sporting destination. The plan was for the world champions to play two international friendlies in the state during the October 2025 FIFA international window. However, cracks began to show early — with delays in paying key charges for the agreement and reports in the international media that Argentina would instead play in China in October.
While the sports minister has repeatedly claimed no government funds have been spent on the project, an RTI reply revealed that `18-lakh state-funded delegation travelled to Spain in 2024 to meet Argentina officials. This has added fuel to the political fire over what was once billed as Kerala’s biggest sporting spectacle, and is now threatening to become one of its most embarrassing own goals.