 "Lionel Messi scored a late goal to help Argentina beat Angola 2-0. Image: Reuters")
Indian football fans were heartbroken after their dream of watching Lionel Messi play live did not come true. But one African country actually managed to make it happen for their people. Messi played a friendly match against Angola on Friday, November 14, around the same time he was supposed to come to Kerala.
Argentina’s trip to India had to be postponed because FIFA did not give approval for the venue’s safety and security. So instead of coming to India, the Argentina team went to Angola. Reports say the local government spent nearly $13 million (around Rs 115 crore) to bring Messi and his team for the match.
It was to commemorate Angola’s 50th anniversary of independence. In India, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winners were scheduled to play Australia at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on November 17. But that match was called off in the last minute due to logistical issues.
The sponsor in India said they did not get FIFA’s permission on time and that the match will be rescheduled in the next international window, but no new dates have been announced yet. Meanwhile, Angola got what India had been dreaming of ever since Kerala first announced plans to host Messi two years ago.
Angolan fans spend just pennies to watch Messi
Argentina beat Angola 2-0, and Messi scored a late goal in the 82nd minute, giving fans exactly what they wanted. For the Angolan crowd, it didn’t matter that their team lost because they came just to watch Messi. Tickets were very cheap too, costing between $1.6 and $60 (Rs 150 to Rs 5000).
Reports say the tickets were already sold out two days before the match, but some fans still managed to buy them in black at nearly ten times the original price. The game took place at the 48,000-seater 11 November Stadium in Luanda.
In comparison, tickets for Messi’s India tour in December are expected to cost around Rs 20,000 for a corporate box. According to some reports, Messi is still expected to visit India for a personal tour. He will reportedly visit cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. However, he will not play any games.