Argentina striker Lionel Messi has 200,000 reasons to come to Japan for next month's friendly, Japan Football Association president Junji Ogura said Friday.
"If Messi doesn't come, we pay (the Argentine Football Association) $200,000 less," Ogura said, referring to the diminutive Barcelona superstar.
Japan and Argentina, which lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarterfinals at this summer's World Cup, play on Oct. 8 at Saitama Stadium 2002.
Ogura said the two federations have finished ironing out the contractual details for what will be the debut of Alberto Zaccheroni as Japan manager.