Hundreds of fans waited at Beijing airport for hours to welcome Lionel Messi and his teammates. The crowd was huge and the chants of "Messi, Messi" echoed throughout the Beijing airport terminal. Everyone wanted to see the reigning World Cup champions with their own eyes.

Following the 1987-born superstar are teammates such as Rodrigo De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso, Angel Di Maria or Enzo Fernandez,...

Not only at the airport, many other fans were also standing outside the hotel where the Argentine team was stationed, waiting to meet their idol.

This is the first time Messi has been in the country of a billion people since 2017. The World Cup defending champion will play a friendly match against Australia on June 15 at the Workers' Stadium with a capacity of 68,000 people.

Speaking before the match, Australia coach Graham Arnold said: "I'm getting goosebumps facing Argentina right after the World Cup. This is an opportunity for my players to enjoy football and give their best."

The match also marks the return of international football in China, after three years of strict measures to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic. Many sporting events were cancelled or played in empty stadiums.

After facing Australia, Argentina will travel to Jakarta to play a friendly match against Indonesia on June 19.