Argentina football superstar Lionel Messi found himself in a brief predicament on Monday when he was detained by Chinese Border Police at Beijing Airport. The incident occurred as Messi arrived in the country with his team for a friendly game. Security personnel halted him momentarily due to passport issues, which caused a minor delay in his entry.
Reports suggest that the 35-year-old had not applied for a visa before his visit, leading to complications. It was revealed that Messi was travelling with his Spanish passport instead of his Argentinian one, which did not have a Chinese visa. Local media sources shed light on the matter, explaining that the delay in Messi's visa was a consequence of this discrepancy.
Fortunately, after approximately 30 minutes, the situation was resolved, and Messi was able to leave the airport without further incident. A video clip shared on social media captured the World Cup-winning captain surrounded by several police officers, passport in hand, engaged in conversation with his colleagues.
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Chinese border police briefly detained Messi as they didn’t recognise his visa 😂😂😂 Book your holiday flights to Xi Jinping’s police state now everybody! pic.twitter.com/LN5EhMTIKC
— Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) June 12, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Chinese border police briefly detained Messi as they didn’t recognise his visa 😂😂😂 Book your holiday flights to Xi Jinping’s police state now everybody! pic.twitter.com/LN5EhMTIKC
— Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) June 12, 2023Chinese border police briefly detained Messi as they didn’t recognise his visa 😂😂😂 Book your holiday flights to Xi Jinping’s police state now everybody! pic.twitter.com/LN5EhMTIKC
— Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) June 12, 2023
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Lionel Messi went to Beijing, China and this reception is crazyyyyyy!
— 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 (@ChaaliiyKay) June 10, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
This man doesn't really know he's LIONEL MESSI
🐐🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/dUM8Kmzzk2
">Lionel Messi went to Beijing, China and this reception is crazyyyyyy!
— 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 (@ChaaliiyKay) June 10, 2023
This man doesn't really know he's LIONEL MESSI
🐐🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/dUM8Kmzzk2Lionel Messi went to Beijing, China and this reception is crazyyyyyy!
— 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 (@ChaaliiyKay) June 10, 2023
This man doesn't really know he's LIONEL MESSI
🐐🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/dUM8Kmzzk2
The upcoming match for Argentina is against Australia, and it will take place at the recently constructed Workers' Stadium in the Chinese capital on June 15. This visit marks Messi's seventh time in Beijing, showcasing the enduring bond between the football star and the city.
In other news, Lionel Messi's highly anticipated move to Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami is on the horizon. This comes after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain ended last month. Following numerous rumours linking him to a sensational return to his boyhood club, FC Barcelona, Messi has chosen to embark on a new chapter in his career in the United States. He will be joining David Beckham's Miami-based franchise.
In a statement, Messi expressed his decision, stating, "I made the decision that I'm going to go to Miami. I still haven't closed it 100%. I'm still missing a few things, but we decided to go ahead. If Barcelona didn't work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more about my family. After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it was time to go to the U.S. league to experience football in a different way and enjoy the day-to-day. Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to want to win and to always do things well. But with more peace of mind."
