GOAT's own country: Ahead of Messi's arrival, Kerala readies itself for more than just a football match

Written by Akshay Lal SA for The New Indian Express

God's own country is leaving nothing to chance, transforming itself into GOAT’s own country.

Preparations are in full swing to welcome Lionel Messi and Co to Kerala, sources in the sports department said.

While there has been no official confirmation on who Argentina will face, officials have named Australia as the frontrunner for the eagerly awaited friendly in Kochi.

Sources in the know told The New Indian Express that while no formal agreement has been signed yet, Australia has shown their willingness to play.

“We want a team ranked within the top 25 in FIFA, and Australia fits that bill,” they said.

Australia currently sit at 25th in the rankings.

According to insiders, Messi, along with the Argentine national team, is expected to arrive in Kochi on November 15 and depart on November 18.

An official from the Argentina Football Association (AFA) recently visited to inspect the facilities, and the AFA has approved the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor, which can host around 55,000 spectators.

Approximately Rs 1 crore has been allocated to ready the stadium’s turf ahead of Messi’s visit. Ticketing details, including sales and prices, will be revealed once the opponent is confirmed, but sources said bookings will be handled online.

In a conversation with TNIE, Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman described Messi’s visit as the first step in a larger vision to boost the state’s sports economy.

“We had started a cricket league, football league, college league -- all of these are to see how the sports economy will contribute to the GDP. Messi and Argentina coming is also part of that,” he said.

He added that Kerala is planning far beyond this one event.

“It won’t be just Messi and Argentina. We are planning to bring more teams and create a venue for more games to happen in Kerala,” he said.

Expanding on plans for international sports, the minister revealed that the state intends to build a FIFA-standard stadium.

“The current plan is for the stadium to have a capacity of 66,000. Around 35 acres of land has been made available for that in the Malabar region,” he said.

Explaining the shift of the venue for the Argentina match from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi, Abdurahiman said, “The issue with Thiruvananthapuram is that the stadium ground is hard, and preparing it would take a lot more time.”

He added, “Kochi has easy accessibility. There were also security reasons. The police have assured that Kochi will be safe, so there is nothing to worry about.”

The minister assured that Kerala will be ready to welcome fans from across the country, and the world, eager to witness this historic moment.

Kerala has always shared a deep love for football -- from fiery debates among fans over a cup of tea and pazhampori to giant cutouts of players during World Cups.

Even the iconic Thrissur Pooram, with its procession of majestic elephants, once bore Messi’s image atop the elephants, a surreal testament to the state’s passion for the game.

With flags of national teams fluttering at every corner during World Cup to firecrackers and cheers erupting as Messi conquered his final peak, Kerala’s devotion to football knows no bounds.

Now, Messi’s visit to this corner of the world feels almost dreamlike -- a moment beyond imagination when giant cutouts of the little boy from Rosario, Santa Fe ruled the streets.

As the spotlight shines on Kaloor and the hopes of thousands ripple through the air, Kerala readies itself for more than just a football match. It is a celebration of dreams, ambition, and the belief that this corner of God’s Own Country can hold the world’s greatest in its heart.

The upcoming clash involving Messi is not just a game -- it is a moment where passion meets possibility, and where Kerala steps onto the global stage, ready to make its mark.