Argentina will play Australia in an international friendly on Thursday at the Workers Stadium in Beijing. The defending FIFA World Cup champions be looking to build on their good form and impress Chinese fans.
Argentina’s preparations for the friendly appear to have hit a minor hiccup when captain Lionel Messi was detained by Chinese police. When the 35-year-old arrived in Beijing, he was detained by police at the airport owing to passport issues, since he allegedly did not apply for a visa. Messi holds both an Argentine and a Spanish passport, which he used to travel to China. Spanish passports don’t have visa-free entry to China, however, they can enter Taiwan without one. According to reports, the Argentine mistook Taiwan for a part of China and did not apply for a visa.
Messi and the Chinese airport security had an issue with language at first, but it was quickly dealt with. He was granted an expedited visa and will be able to play in the friendly.
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Argentina’s national team will take on Australia in a friendly match on Thursday, June 15, before facing Indonesia at home on June 19, after which Messi will take a break before joining his new club, Inter Miami, in July.