Pak lost chance to host Messi due to 'fragile law and order situation' in country: PFF

Islamabad, June 10(ANI): Pakistan has lost a "huge opportunity" to host star footballer Lionel Messi and his Argentine team mates due to the "fragile law and order" situation in the country.

The star-studded Argentine squad will visit Kolkata in India on August 30 to play charity matches, besides running a four-day football clinic for children.

The Argentine team will then proceed to Bangladesh, and test their mettle against Nigeria in a friendly encounter on September 6.

"The game's governing body, FIFA, was very much willing to send such teams for the promotion of the sport in this country, but the fragile law and order left us guessing," the Dawn quoted Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Secretary Ahmed Yar Lodhi, as saying.

He said that the sport would definitely get a boost in India and Bangladesh after the successful visit of the Argentine squad.

"We really missed a huge opportunity, not because we are not playing competitive game, instead it's due to the prevailing law and order situation," Lodhi rued.

"Even FIFA President Sepp Blatter was scheduled to visit Pakistan last year, but two days before his visit a bomb blast rocked the city of Lahore, forcing him to cancel his scheduled visit," he informed.

Lodhi said that the federation had been doing a lot for the promotion of football in Pakistan, but huge financial input from the government, besides professional marketing individuals, were required to promote the sport in the country.

Football is yet to gain popularity among a population of 180 million people in Pakistan, who otherwise follow the game of cricket.

When asked whether the PFF would approach any player like Messi in the near future, requesting them to visit Pakistan which could help the federation improve the game's profile in the country, Lodhi once again pointed towards the financial constraints.

"We need a huge amount for luring a renowned footballer from any part of the globe and this can only be done with the help of multinational companies' support," he maintained. (ANI)