Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman has accused Argentina's football team, led by Lionel Messi, of 'cheating' the state after claiming they failed to honour a friendly match commitment despite receiving full payment.
Abdurahiman alleged that despite receiving ₹250 crore, the team did not follow through on its promise to play a match in Kochi on November 17.
The minister claimed that Kerala was not an isolated case, alleging a broader pattern involving the Argentine team and demanding compensation.
Messi did travel to India later in December, but not with the national team, as part of a promotional 'GOAT Tour'.
