Thousands turn out in Beijing to catch a glimpse of Messi ahead of Argentina friendly

Football fans in Beijing came out in their thousands to see Lionel Messi as Argentina landed in China for a friendly against Australia.

World Cup winners Argentina will face the Socceroos on Thursday at the Worker's Stadium in the Chinese capital before Messi completes his expected move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. It will be the first time he has played for a club outside Europe.

In Beijing, thousands of fans wearing replica jerseys lined up for hours at the airport and the hotel to see Messi.

The friendly marks the return of international football to China, after three years of strict Covid-19 restrictions that led to the cancellations of a number of sporting events.

The game will be a rematch of last year's round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup, in which Argentina prevailed 2-1.

Tickets for the friendly game – ranging from 580 yuan ($80) to 4,800 yuan ($670) – were snapped up quickly. The match will be held at the 68,000-capacity renovated venue.