KOCHI: Lionel Messi is set to land in Kerala this November with Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad. But as the fans wait with bated breath for the arrival of football’s biggest icon, a frantic race has begun: can Kerala get a stadium ready in time?
All eyes are on Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield Stadium, which is “almost finalised” as the venue, according to Anto Augustine, managing director of Reporter Broadcasting Company, the official sponsors of the Messi project.
“Right now, we have almost finalised the Greenfield Stadium in Karyavattom as the venue. Kochi is not in consideration. The government will take the final say soon,” Anto said, adding that ticket rates and Argentina’s opponents will be announced within a week.
But the venue, primarily a cricket ground, presents a challenge. With hard cricket pitches in its centre, football experts have pointed out that laying a world-class football turf in under three months will test Kerala’s limits.
Former India captain Jo Paul Anchery warns, “It is very difficult to play football on grounds that have cricket pitches. I have experienced this in the 90s at Kaloor (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi). Such scenarios have to be dealt with wisely.”
Others are more optimistic.
“To maintain a turf properly, we need only around 45 days. Since we now have around three months, the Greenfield Stadium can be developed... that’s what we all believe,” said former India international and Kerala State Sports Council president U Sharafali, pointing out that the state does have other football-ready venues, though none match Greenfield’s capacity.
Meanwhile, Kochi — once Kerala’s footballing Mecca, proud host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup matches in 2017 — is watching from the sidelines. While the Nehru Stadium has the playing surface, safety and security concerns -- with the venue functioning as a commercial complex with numerous shops and offices on non-match days -- are spoiling its chances.
K Chandran Pillai, chairman of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) which owns the Nehru Stadium, is clearly miffed.
“Initially, there was a discussion with GCDA regarding the arrival of Messi. The minister had directly spoken to me as the chairman to discuss the possibilities of using the stadium. Now, we see announcements in the press that the match has been moved to the Greenfield Stadium. We haven’t been informed about it at all,” he said.
Pitching Kochi as the natural choice, Pillai added: “Our turf is one of the best in the country. If there are more things to be perfected in terms of safety and security, we are willing to do it as needed. I think, ultimately, the government will have a rethink to see the vast possibilities in Kochi as the commercial centre of the state, with the accessibility and other factors required to host such an event. We have proved that we can hold any kind of international matches, including FIFA standard matches, here.”
So, does Kerala gamble on the Greenfield, and its race-against-time transformation, or does Kochi — with its proven pedigree but patchy upkeep — make a dramatic last-minute comeback? One thing is certain: Messi magic is on its way. The big question: can Kerala get its act together before the greatest footballer of this generation steps on its soil?