Tireless followers, scams that made for an unforgettable night with the idol and even an immigration incident have marked the presence of Lionel Messi in China, where the player arrived on June 10 amid a “Messimania” that has colored the city with white and light blue
What could have been a celebratory event for Chinese fans, devoid of high-flying football after years of draconian anti-pandemic restrictions, has become a showcase for what many on the country’s social media have called “illegitimate supporters” of Argentina and of Messi. in particular.
In the four days leading up to the match between ‘la Albiceleste’ and Australia at the Workers’ Stadium in the Chinese capital, they have had to block streets, cancel events and report fraud, although others point out that ‘Messi came to play’. an international party, not to meet supporters.”
LANDING ON THE WRONG FOOT
The world champion’s captain’s journey did not start well, as he had to wait more than two hours at customs after landing in Beijing to be allowed to enter the Asian country.
The reason, according to several local media, is that Messi brought his Spanish passport to China and not the Argentinian passport, the document for which his entry visa was issued.
Once the accident was cleared, the star from Rosario was forced to enter the hotel where the team is concentrated through the back door when the building was completely surrounded by fans blocking the main entrance.
The Chinese fans were so excited that the organization canceled a face-to-face event with Messi for safety reasons, although the fans did get the chance to get to know Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez up close.
FLOWING WAR
Despite the cancellation of in-person events, the main sales platforms rushed to announce several broadcasts with the seven-time Ballon d’Or.
Kuaishou’s short video application announced an exclusive interview conducted by the sports medium Titan Sports and the first thing it offered was ten seconds of Messi in a 52-minute meeting in which only two Chinese presenters spoke and who live more than five million times was viewed. views.
Electronics giant Alibaba this Wednesday, through its online sales platform Taobao, brought together the captain of the Albiceleste with a famed “streamer,” Li Xuanzhuo, an expert in liquor sales, illustrating the fierce battle for China’s e-commerce sector that seizes Messi’s claim.
THE POWER OF MONEY
If this trip has shown anything, it’s the importance of the Argentina number 10 among football fans and those who aren’t.
A supporter booked rooms in the same hotel where the team is staying – accommodations that increased their reservations fivefold on the night of the game – and some young people waited crouched in the bathrooms of the Olympic Stadium for three hours hoping they could meet his idol during the training.
The less friendly face was the proliferation of scams: Beijing police denounced that on Weibo – similar to Twitter, censored in China – a dinner with the Argentine captain was offered in exchange for 300,000 yuan (41,875 dollars, 38,804 euros), in addition to fake tickets everywhere.
“Everything is for money”, confirmed some young Messi admirers in an official Argentine product store, where their star sale, a goat with the albiceleste shirt, was sold out (GOAT stands for, in English, the acronym for “el best of all times”).
“I came from Shanghai (east) hoping to see Messi, but the ticket price prevented me. I will have to settle for seeing it now on TV at Inter Miami,” assured a young woman surrounded by number 10- dolls during her mythical goal celebration against the Netherlands in the quarter finals of the last World Cup.
Diego Trenado, an Argentine football coach based in Beijing, told EFE that “the Chinese fan wanted to show his affection for Messi for everything he generates on the field and off it”, although he admits that “the passion shown on the street” by the fans of the Asian giant “surprised the Argentines a lot”.
“Since the arrival of the national team, all my players have been asking me about it. Now I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game and I’m sure they will look forward to sharing my experience with them during the next training session,” Trenado assured.
For now, the only lucky one to boast of a snapshot with the captain is a Chinese driver whose selfie with Messi on the bus, waiting in his car at a traffic light, has gone viral on social networks and sparked the envy of fans. fans.
Source: El heraldo
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
