Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning Argentina teammates are expected to draw almost 70,000 fans to Beijing Worker’s Stadium for an exhibition against Australia.
With tickets starting at around $80 for Thursday’s game, local supporters are excited to see Messi and continue the World Cup celebrations. Fans have flocked to all opportunities to see the Argentine star since the team arrived in China, with large crowds angling for photographs and chanting his name.
Messi’s move to “continue my path” in Miami last week made global headlines.
He said that after winning the World Cup, it was his time to go the United States and “live football in another way.”
Before then, he’s with the Argentina squad that is scheduled to play Australia in the Chinese capital and take on Indonesia in Jakarta four days later.
Australia coach Graham Arnold said he was looking forward to giving a selection of young players some valuable experience.
“There's no better team to test yourself against than he best in the world,” Arnold said in an interview for Chinese TV. “It's going to be great for the players — not only the players, but for everyone here in China and back in Australia — to see Lionel Messi play.
"He's such a wonderful player and obviously best in the world. To have those privileges to test yourself against him, it's important.”
Messi led Argentina to a 2-1 win over the Australians in the Round of 16 at the World Cup last year in Qatar.
For the Socceroos, though, this rematch is not about revenge for a defeat but more the journey to the next Asian Cup, at Qatar in January, and beyond.
“It’s a younger squad but I’m also looking with one eye on the World Cup in 2026 and getting players ready for that,” Arnold said. “I don’t believe there’s a better way to test them out."
Australia, which joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 and won the regional title on home soil in 2015, will take on India, Syria and Uzbekistan at the Asian Cup.
