Football fever building up as 'Messi Magic' is set to unfold on Indian soil this year

A wave of excitement is sweeping across football circles in India. Fans are eagerly awaiting a great moment that will unfold in a few months. The Indian football team’s performance has touched historic depths, so what is causing this buzz? The reason for the football fever is the news that broke recently.

The great Lionel Messi and his world-conquering teammates from Argentina will be coming to India later this year to play a couple of friendly matches against a team that is yet to be finalised. It may be another foreign team. However, this is not the first time that the legendary footballer will be seen in India. He had come to play a match against Venezuela in Kolkata in 2011.

Now a much bigger star

But now he is a much bigger star than he was in 2011. Fourteen years have passed since then, and much water has flowed under the bridge. Now Messi is hailed as the greatest footballer in history alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. So the fans are eagerly waiting for the Messi Magic to unfurl in front of their eyes live on Indian soil.

Not since Pele’s team of New York Cosmos visited India in 1977, has there been such enthusiasm for a football event. On that occasion, which took place almost 50 years ago, Pele’s team was held to a 2-2 draw by Mohun Bagan at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. One of the two goals for Mohun Bagan was scored by Mohammed Habib of Hyderabad.

Akbar’s recollection against Pele

Habib is no more but his younger brother Akbar had recalled incidents from that contest to this correspondent a few years ago. “Usually it was Habib bhai who would give me the pass, and I would score the goals for Mohun Bagan. But that day, against the famed Cosmos team, the opposite happened. It was I who gave the pass and Habib Bhai scored the goal. That match and Habib Bhai’s goal became a part of Indian football folklore.”

Di Maria will be missed

Now, in October 2025, once more India will witness a football phenomenon. But unfortunately, Messi’s long-time teammate Angel Di Maria retired last year. Di Maria was a perfect complement to Messi. The lean and lanky Di Maria was at his best on the right wing. His superb running, dribbling and sense of positional play gave Argentina the edge over its most famous rivals. Di Maria was recognised as one of the greatest wing players in world football during his time.

But even without Di Maria, Argentina, known as La Albiceleste, remains one of the world’s best teams. How it demolished arch-rival Brazil by a margin of 4-1 in a recent World Cup qualifier was amazing.

Experienced goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who starred in Argentina’ s World Cup final, is there in the lineup. He has played 51 matches for his country. Julian Alvarez is another player with vast experience, and he scored one goal against Brazil. Also, Angus McAllister, who was seen during the last World Cup. He too scored against Brazil. Midfielders Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo De Paul will add solidity to the lineup. Both have played more than 40 matches for the team.

Kerala government’s plan

It is the Kerala state government, along with the state’s football body, that laid the groundwork for the upcoming matches. The contests will be held in Kerala. The Argentina team will be paid a mind-boggling 100 crore rupees while the opponents will get Rs 50 crore.

According to some news reports, an entire seven-star hotel will be booked for the teams. No other guests will be allowed to stay in the hotel for the duration of the event. The state government is going all out to make the event a safe and memorable one for football lovers in India.

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