Scots may face Messi and Co in Morocco
SCOTLAND could face Lionel Messi and Argentina in a glamour friendly next year – in Morocco.
Caretaker manager Malky Mackay confirmed this week advanced talks are ongoing with the Moroccan FA about a game against the hosts in March.
But Morocco want to organise a series of games as part of their bid to host the 2026 World Cup and are keen to use the March friendlies to showcase their facilities.
They are close to reaching an agreement to play Scotland and Argentina in their brand new Stade Adrar in Agadir and have explored the possibility of expanding it into a mini-tournament between the three nations.
Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan FA, said: “It is 100 per cent that we will play Argentina. They have already confirmed Lionel Messi will be there.
“There will be other matches organised too then and we want to prove we have the facilities to host big games.”
An SFA delegation led by Mackay and chief executive Stewart Regan visited Agadir in September where meetings were held with the SFA, Moroccan FA and Thomas Reilly, the British Ambassador to Morocco.
And Mackay this week insisted he wants Scotland to face other nations outside Europe.
He said: “We don’t have endless cash to fly to South America to play Uruguay, which I would love to do.
“But we can be innovative and possibly have Uruguay flown to Morocco.”