In the 2022 World Cup, Argentina, which was ranked third in the world and unbeaten for three years, saw a humiliating 1-2 defeat against Saudi Arabia, which was 48 places below the South American side. Now with Lionel Messi's side confirmed to play a friendly in Kerala in November 2025, fans are asking for a "revenge match" against Saudi.
Announcing the Kerala match, Argentine Football Association made the announcement on X, saying it will play FIFA friendlies from November 10 to 18 in Angola's Luanda and Kerala while opponents are to be determined. The Union sports ministry and the Reserve Bank of India have approved the event.
The Argentine National Team will visit Kerala this November as part of its international friendlies! 🇮🇳🇦🇷
— AFA India Official (@AFA_IND) August 23, 2025
A project we began over a year ago in Madrid with the Kerala Govt now opens a new chapter in AFA’s global expansion. 🌍⚽@VAbdurahimanOff | @reporter_tv pic.twitter.com/WZZk4LDpLE
Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman also confirmed the friendlies, Messi will come to the state in November. "The team which won the World Cup under Lionel Messi, the whole squad, will play here, he said, thanking the Argentina Football Association for this. The minister added that Messi's football match in Kerala will be "a truly historical moment" for the state football as well as the sports sector as a whole.
Will Argentina play Saudi Arabia in Kerala?
Talking about the opposition team, minister Abdurahiman said, "We will select a team from among FIFA's top 50." He said three or four teams have expressed interest, inlcuding the Australian football team, with whom the government has a sports exchange agreement.
Fans want Saudi Arabia to play Argentina in the November friendlies in Kerala
However, many fans have urged the goverment to pick Saudi Arabia as they were the only team to beat Argentina in the Qatar World Cup. Fans hope the friendlies woud give Messi's men a chance to avenge the World Cup upset in 2022.
In 2011, Messi led Argentina against Venezuela for an international friendly in Kolkata.
