Malappuram (Kerala), Nov 3 : The Kerala government has once again stirred public excitement and controversy with Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman asserting that Argentine football legend Lionel Messi will play in India next year.

According to the minister, the state has received a new email from the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirming that the G.O.A.T player Messi and his team will visit India in March.

'Two days ago, we received an email from the AFA team confirming their visit to Kerala in March,' Abdurahiman said.

He added that the match was initially planned for November but had to be deferred due to infrastructural issues at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.

However, this fresh claim has drawn widespread skepticism, with critics recalling the earlier unfulfilled promise of Messi's visit.

The absence of any official agreement or confirmation from the AFA has led to questions about the government's credibility and the procedures followed in organising what is billed as a major international sporting event.

The Opposition and sports enthusiasts have also raised concerns over why the Kochi stadium was partially dismantled for 'renovation' despite the lack of a signed deal.

With no documented terms, the government is now under pressure to clarify who the sponsors are, what the contractual commitments were, and whether due diligence was observed.

Adding to the controversy, it has emerged that the sponsors involved in the initiative have alleged links to the notorious Muttil tree felling case despite the government's previous assurances that it would not engage with tainted entities.

As anticipation mixes with disbelief, many are demanding transparency and official documentation to substantiate the minister's claim.

For now, Messi's supposed Kerala appearance remains more of a political talking point than a confirmed sporting event, a story that continues to keep football fans across the country guessing and critics on edge.

If the world cup winning team led by Messi lands on Kerala's soil, the timing of the visit will add a feather to the cap of the now beleaguered Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is caught in a few scams which the Congress-led UDF is playing up. More importantly by then Kerala will be at the peak of election campaigning fever for the Assembly polls.

/IANS