Why does Lionel Messi have so many fans in China?

“Messi is coming!” These days, the news of the arrival of the Argentine “Ballon d’Or”, Lionel Messi, in China continues to flood Chinese social networks.

From the airport to the hotel, via the training ground, Messi and his teammates were greeted by Chinese fans. Tickets for the Argentina-Australia soccer match on June 15 sold out in the first round of sales. It has been a long-awaited event for Chinese fans to see this high-level football.

The visit to China is the first time the Argentine men’s soccer team has played abroad since winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and it is also Messi’s seventh trip to China. An Argentine journalist accompanying the team was surprised by the huge fanaticism shown by the Chinese fans. Actually, it’s not surprising. The Chinese love soccer, and there are many Argentine soccer fans. They admire Lionel Messi’s skill and his unbreakable spirit. China is also a great place of fortune for Messi and the Argentine national team: the Argentine men’s soccer team won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and Messi received a great honor for his career in the national team.

Why is Lionel Messi so appreciated in China? If we analyze it in depth, it is due to the great friendship between China and Argentina, and the closeness between the two peoples. Argentina is a large Latin American country and the most geographically distant place from China.

But as the saying goes, “those who share the same aspirations are not separated by mountains and seas”. Even before the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972, there were spontaneous cultural exchanges and civil contacts between China and Argentina. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Argentina, as part of the world’s largest developing countries, have always supported each other in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and shared common aspirations in promoting economic development. and the improvement of people’s lives, strengthening their relationships more and more.

In the development of relations between China and Argentina, humanistic exchanges are a “bridge” that brings the two countries closer and closer. In the 1990s, the famous Argentine footballer Diego Maradona visited China several times and led the Argentine Boca Juniors to play two games in Beijing and Chengdu, showing the charm of football to Chinese fans. Messi’s seven trips to China are a legacy of friendship between Chinese and Argentine football.

Soccer has a long history in China. In recent years, China has placed more and more emphasis on training young football players, which has provided opportunities for China and Argentina to deepen their football exchanges and cooperation. According to statistics, more than 100 young Chinese soccer players were trained in Argentina before the COVID epidemic, while Argentina also has dozens of soccer coaches working in soccer schools across China.

The visit to China is the first time that the Argentine men’s soccer team has played abroad since they won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and it is also Messi’s seventh trip to China.

In 2022, during Argentine President Alberto Fernández’s attendance at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and his visit to China, China and Argentina issued a joint statement pledging to further promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as culture, education, tourism and sport. As a world-class footballer, Messi’s visit to China not only brings joy to the majority of Chinese fans, but also promotes sports and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Argentina, and enhances understanding and affection between the two towns, which is of extraordinary importance.

Taiwan condemns joint statement issued by China and Honduras

Soon Chinese fans in Beijing will be able to watch an exciting football match, experience the charm of football up close, and appreciate the winner of the World Cup. And the peoples of China and Argentina will also have a deeper understanding of what the saying “those who share the same aspirations are not separated by mountains and seas” means.