Argentine star footballer Lionel Messi was detained at Beijing Airport by the Chinese police on Monday (June 12) ahead of Argentina’s international friendly match against Australia at the Workers Stadium in the Chinese capital.
The Argentinian captain faced an unexpected situation as he was briefly stopped at the airport due to passport and visa issues. According to multiple media reports, the issue occurred because the star football player carried his Spanish passport instead of his Argentinian passport, which did not have a valid Chinese visa.
However, after about 30 minutes, the situation was resolved, and Messi exited the airport.
Meanwhile, a video clip of Messi being stopped by a number of police officers has gone viral on the internet. In the video, the Argentine national team captain can be seen surrounded by various police officers who were holding his passport and talking to his colleagues.
Why is Messi in Beijing?
Argentina is scheduled to face Australia in an international friendly at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, on Thursday, June 15.
After the encounter with Australia, Messi’s team is scheduled to face Indonesia at home on June 19, marking the culmination of his 2022-23 football season. After this, the Argentinian captain will get a period of rest, before joining his new club, Inter Miami.