Argentina football team ‘deceived’ Kerala by not coming to play: Sports Minister Abdurahiman

Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Thursday (April 2, 2026) said that the Argentina football team allegedly deceived the State by not coming to play a match even after receiving money for it.

Mr. Abdurahiman said that he had “really wanted” the Argentina football team and Lionel Messi to come to Kerala and play a match in the State.

“For that, I had held several discussions. It was also not an easy task to find sponsors to arrange the ₹250 crore to be paid to the international football team. But, after receiving the money, the Argentine football team cheated us. We did not expect such a betrayal from them. Not coming after promising to do so,” the Minister told a TV channel

He said that when he enquired, he found out that “Argentina had done this to five other countries.”

“They took money from those countries, but never went there to play. It is a situation where a case will have to be filed against the Argentine football team, and they will have to pay us compensation,” Mr. Abdurahiman said.

“It has disappointed the football lovers in Kerala. I don’t know to whom I will tell my disappointment,” he said.

The Minister in November 2025 had said the Argentina football team and Lionel Messi would come to Kerala in March this year.

On poll candidacy

Regarding his decision to contest from Tirur Assembly constituency, instead of Tanur, from where he had won twice, the Minister said his move was “not motivated by a search for a winnable seat.”

He said that he came to Tirur as it was his native place, where there was a lack of development, and there were numerous complaints from the people regarding it. At the same time, he asserted that his absence from Tanur will not result in loss of that seat.