Messi's Argentina to play against Pakistan, intense discussions underway

Initial discussions have been held on the possibility of an international football friendly between Pakistan and Argentina, sources familiar with the matter said.

According to sources, officials of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) discussed a number of issues in an online meeting. These include coaching development, technical training programs and a possible friendly match. The issue of sending Argentine coaches to Pakistan as part of a structured development initiative was also discussed.

The Pakistan Mission in Argentina said that the PFF and AFA were brought together in a “fruitful and forward-looking meeting” after the AFA launched the ‘AFA Pakistan’ brand.

The meeting was chaired by Ambassador Hassan Afzal Khan. PFF President Syed Mohsin Gilani and his team and AFA Marketing Director Francisco Lemmi attended the meeting.

Ambassador Hassan said that the initiative presented a “great opportunity” to strengthen cooperation in the development of football in Pakistan. Gilani welcomed the AFA's interest and stressed the importance of building the partnership in a "structured and sustainable manner" with a view to long-term cooperation.

If finalised, the proposed friendly match would be held after the FIFA World Cup. However, sources said the talks are still at an early stage. More coordination is needed before any deal can be finalised.