Messi Mania Takes Over Beijing Ahead of Argentina-Australia Friendly
Football fans in Beijing are in a frenzy as they await the highly anticipated friendly match between world champions Argentina and Australia. The match, set to take place at the 68,000-capacity Workers’ Stadium, has been sold out for weeks, with hundreds of Chinese fans lining up outside the team’s luxury hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Messi, who lifted the World Cup for Argentina in December, arrived in Beijing on Saturday, and since then, crowds have been gathering outside the hotel where he and his teammates are staying. Fans have been waving Argentinian flags and wearing Messi jerseys, hoping for a chance to see their idol up close.
One daring fan even recounted his tale of spending the night inside the Four Seasons hotel in a bid to get a close encounter with Messi and his teammates. “I first hid in the janitor’s closet, then went up to the team’s floor through the fire escape staircase,” the man, surnamed Lin, told AFP. He was questioned by hotel security before being released.
Despite not having a ticket for the match, some fans have flown from other cities in China just to be near the action. Li Weihua, from Shenzhen in southern China, said that he had flown straight to the hotel upon arriving in Beijing. “I just want to feel the environment,” said the 29-year-old, who had never been to Beijing before now.
Huang Yongming, 17, from Changchun in northeastern China, was luckier than Li and managed to secure a highly coveted ticket. “I spent around 3,000 yuan ($419) for a ticket,” Huang told AFP. “I know it’s expensive, but I thought that if I didn’t take the opportunity, I would regret it.”
As the sun beat down on the stadium, a smattering of fans had already started to gather several hours before the 8:00 p.m. (1200 GMT) kickoff. All eyes will be on Messi, who is set to join Inter Miami after two years at Paris Saint-Germain.
Heading 1: Messi Mania in Beijing
Heading 2: Fans Gather Outside Team Hotel
Heading 3: One Fan’s Daring Attempt to Meet Messi
Heading 2: Fans Fly in from Other Cities
Heading 3: Huang Yongming Secures Coveted Ticket
Heading 1: Conclusion
In conclusion, Messi mania has taken over Beijing ahead of the friendly match between Argentina and Australia. Fans have been lining up outside the team’s hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time. Despite not having tickets for the match, some fans have flown from other cities in China just to be near the action. As the sun beat down on the stadium, a smattering of fans had already started to gather several hours before the kickoff. All eyes will be on Messi, who is set to join Inter Miami after two years at Paris Saint-Germain.