Messi-led Argentina national team to play in Kerala next year
World Cup-winning Argentinian football team led by iconic Lionel Messi will play in Kochi next year, Kerala State Sports Minister V Abdurahiman announced on Wednesday.
Former Manchester United superstar Gary Neville will be present in India to support the grassroots football programme and motivate the young kids playing football in the country as part of the ‘United We Play’ initiative.
Considered one of the greatest right-backs ever to play the game, Neville’s illustrious career includes eight English Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League titles for United and will be seen in action at the grand finale of the fourth edition of ‘United We Play’ in Chandigarh on October 18.
A rare one-club man, Neville played for United for his entire career, spending almost 20 years with the club with a whopping 602 appearances for his boyhood club under his belt. He has also served English football with a distinction of 85 appearances over a 12-year career for his country.
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The ‘United We Play’ programme is an on-ground grassroots football initiative, supported by United to encourage young football talent from across geographies by giving them a platform to showcase their skills with the objective of motivating aspiring footballers to continue playing and introducing them to global training methodologies.
“We are thrilled and honoured to welcome a player of the stature of Gary Neville to India. His presence will surely elevate the experience for young budding footballers who will be a part of the United We Play finals in Chandigarh, inspiring young athletes with his illustrious journey in the sport and offering insights into his storied career,” said Rajesh Dahiya, Vice President, Commercial, India and SAARC, Apollo Tyres Ltd.
The launch of the fourth edition of ‘United We Play’ took place in Kolkata in December 2023, where former United and French footballer Louis Saha kicked off the programme.
The fourth edition of the grassroots football programme, was the biggest ever with a season-round programme, reaching out to 18 cities pan-India and over 15,000 young footballers across the country.
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