Kerala CM Satheesan meets Ronaldo’s sister as Messi saga lingers
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 2 (IANS) At a time when Kerala is busy unravelling the tangled threads of its failed Lionel Messi visit, Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister Elma Aveiro’s visit to the state has provided a rather different footballing connection for Malayalis.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan met Aveiro during her visit to Kerala and used the occasion to convey the enormous affection the state has for her brother, Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Had a warm interaction with Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, during her visit to Keralam,” Satheesan said in a social media post.
He said he shared with her the “boundless passion and love Malayalis have for football and for Cristiano.”
According to Satheesan, Aveiro graciously promised to convey to Ronaldo the warm wishes and affection of football fans in Kerala.
The meeting comes at an intriguing moment for Kerala, where football has suddenly acquired a political and administrative dimension following the controversy surrounding the proposed visit of then Argentina captain Lionel Messi and the national team in 2025.
The previous Pinarayi Vijayan government had publicly projected the arrival of Messi and Argentina in Kerala, with then Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman and his team travelling to Spain in connection with efforts to bring the Argentine side to the state.
The proposed visit, however, never materialised, leaving behind questions over the arrangements and financial transactions surrounding the event.
The Satheesan government has since ordered a detailed examination of the deal.
Satheesan on Wednesday said a preliminary inquiry pointed to serious allegations, including possible GST violations and lapses in the selection of the private sponsor.
The Messi controversy has now acquired a further financial dimension, with an SIT soon to be appointed to examine allegations of GST non-payment and financial irregularities linked to the proposed Argentina event.
The Enforcement Directorate has also begun looking into financial transactions associated with the proposed visit.
Against this backdrop, Aveiro’s Kerala visit offers a lighter footballing moment.
Ronaldo himself has never visited the state, but his popularity among Malayalis rivals that of any international sporting icon.
For Kerala’s football-crazy fans, therefore, the Chief Minister’s message to Ronaldo through his sister could be more than a courtesy call; it is a reminder that the state’s love affair with football remains very much alive, even as the Messi episode continues to generate questions.
–IANS
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