Lionel Messi found himself in a potential predicament with Chinese border guards after mistakenly using his Spanish passport instead of his Argentinian one. The football star arrived in Beijing via a private jet, accompanied by his “bodyguard” and a group of celebrity friends, including Angel Di Maria, to join the Argentinian national team camp for a friendly match.
During his arrival, a video circulated on social media, showing Messi surrounded by police officers, clutching his passport while engaging in a conversation with colleagues. Local media sources suggest that the issue arose due to his use of the Spanish passport instead of the Argentinian one.
Reports indicate that Messi believed his ability to travel to Taiwan using his Spanish passport meant it was also valid for China, asking, “Is Taiwan not China?” However, this misunderstanding confused local border guards, as he did not have his Argentinian passport with him at the time.
The situation resulted in a two-hour delay, but eventually, after resolving the problem, Messi was granted a visa and allowed entry into the country.
This visit marks Messi’s seventh trip to China, including his participation in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he played a crucial role in Argentina’s success. The reigning world champions are scheduled to play a friendly match against Australia at Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium, followed by a match against Indonesia.
Following his national team commitments, Messi is expected to take a brief break before joining his new club, Inter Miami, in July. Despite interest from Saudi Arabia and his former club Barcelona, the 35-year-old forward opted to make a move to Major League Soccer (MLS).