Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Submit Guest Post

Messi set to return to India after 14 years for exhibition match in Kerala

HSBC India confirmed that it had become the official partner of the Argentine team, aiming to collaborate and promote football in India

Messi set to return to India after 14 years for exhibition match in Kerala

Lionel Messi in action against Venezuela in Kolkata in 2011

Eastern Eye
By Eastern EyeApr 02, 2025
Eastern Eye

See Full Bio

LIONEL MESSI and the Argentina national team will visit Kerala in south India for an exhibition match in October.

It will mark Messi’s return to the country 14 years after his first visit.

In November last year, Kerala sports minister V Abdurahiman announced that Argentina would play two friendly matches in the city of Kochi.

Last Wednesday (26), HSBC India confirmed that it had become the official partner of the Argentine team, aiming to collaborate and promote football in India. The bank announced that the exhibition match will take place in October.

“Under this partnership, the Argentina national football team, including legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit India for an international exhibition match in October 2025,” HSBC India said.

Messi’s first appearance in India was in September 2011, when Argentina played a World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela in Kolkata. Argentina won the match 1-0 at the Salt Lake stadium.

hsbc indiamessi in indiamessi in keralalionel messi
Add EasternEye As Your Trusted Source
preferred source on google news

Related News

hardik-pandya-ipl
Cricket

IPL: Hardik Pandya set to leave Mumbai as Punjab close in on Arshdeep swap

india-newzealand-t20
Featured

India win T20 series despite New Zealand's late fightback

india-newzealand-t20
Trending

Samson leads India to record T20 chase against New Zealand

vvslaxman-india-cricket
Cricket

VVS Laxman to attend selection meetings as BCCI seeks clearer fitness updates

More For You

Thierry Henry tells Ballon d'Or critics to 'relax': what he actually said to Yamal, Kate Scott and Kane

Thierry Henry looks on before conducting the coin toss for the Men's Singles match between Alexander Zverev of Team Europe and Alex de Minaur of Team World on day two of Laver Cup 2026 at The O2 on September 26, 2026 in London, England.

Getty Images

Thierry Henry tells Ballon d'Or critics to 'relax': what he actually said to Yamal, Kate Scott and Kane

Highlights

  • Thierry Henry, who co-hosted the 2026 Ballon d'Or with Kate Scott, has defended two jokes that drew criticism, in a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday
  • He asked Lamine Yamal whether the Kopa Trophy was "the one you really wanted to win", and interrupted Scott's pronunciation of the Sócrates Award
  • Henry says he was not "checking" Yamal's ego, and that Scott said "Socrates" on purpose as part of a planned joke
  • Scott replied on Instagram: "100%... no disrespect to speak of"

A night that was meant to belong to Harry Kane ended with its two hosts in a social media row. Thierry Henry has answered the critics with a three-minute video, telling them to "relax", and his co-host, Kate Scott, has backed his version of events.

What did Thierry Henry say to Lamine Yamal at the Ballon d'Or?

When Yamal, 19, collected the Men's Young Talent award, or Kopa Trophy, for the third year running, Henry joked that it was his third one. Then he asked: "But is it the one you really wanted to win?" The question was a reference to the Ballon d'Or, which Yamal would not win. Yamal, who had just said the prize "should have been for" his team-mate Pau Cubarsi, laughed and replied "No", to laughter from the audience, including Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

Keep ReadingShow less