Large groups of enthusiastic Chinese fans eagerly awaited the arrival of Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi as he landed in Beijing on Saturday morning. This marks Messi’s seventh visit to China, sparking excitement among his dedicated fan base in the country.
Fans were spotted at the airport and the team hotel, expressing their joy at the opportunity to be in the presence of the legendary player. Messi’s visits to China have consistently drawn significant attention, showcasing his popularity and the immense anticipation surrounding his appearances. The warm reception from Chinese fans reflects their admiration for Messi’s talent and the anticipation of witnessing his exceptional skills in action.
Zhang Bo, a Messi fan arrived at Four Seasons Hotel Beijing, where Messi and the Argentinian team are staying, on 9 am Saturday morning. “I rushed to the hotel immediately after I saw the news push that Messi was arriving in Beijing.”
Several hundreds of people gathered in front of the hotel at around 11 am on Saturday morning, with the crowd swelling closer to the team’s arrival, leading to serious congestion around the area.
“My heart almost popped out every time I saw a bus arriving. I am so excited to be breathing the same air as him. I hope he can feel the hospitality of Chinese fans,” another fan named Yanjie joojo, who was also waiting in front of the hotel, wrote on Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform.
Within an hour after Messi’s landing in Beijing, the hashtag “Messi arrived in Beijing” became the most viewed topic on Weibo, attracting more than 120 million reads as of press time.
Messi will lead world champions Argentina against Australia in a friendly in Beijing on June 15.
Messi and Argentina’s National team have a huge fanbase in China, with an unprecedented level of interest in seeing the team play.
Some swindlers began to seize the opportunity to cash in on the event, spreading information that paying 50,000 yuan ($7,012) would allow fans to meet Messi and 300,000 yuan would lead to a personalized toast from the World Cup winner.
Match organizers issued a warning on Friday, saying that no commercial or charity activities involving the players had been arranged reminding fans to remain vigilant against fraudulent events.
“Messi’s visit to China is very meaningful for us fans, as this is probably the last time he visits as a professional football player, and the first time Argentina national football team have visited China since claiming the World Cup,” said Zhang, noting that this visit is an important part of his long passion associated with Messi and team Argentina.
Days before coming to China, Messi surprised the public, announcing a move to Major League Soccer to join Inter Miami.