Will Lionel Messi play in China in November? Inter Miami reportedly discussing match
- Miami Herald reports that the Major League Soccer club are discussing potential postseason fixtures in China and Japan
- Chinese journalist says in Weibo post that Messi and Inter could play in Chengdu on November 8
Football fans in China have been reacting feverishly to speculation that Lionel Messi could be set to pay his second visit to the country in less than six months, this time wearing the pink of his new club Inter Miami.
According to the Miami Herald, the Major League Soccer side are in talks to play postseason matches in China and Japan next month.
The outcome was the same in the Chinese capital, with Messi delighting a 51,000 crowd at Workers’ Stadium by scoring after just 81 seconds – and now there is a suggestion that he may be back next month to provide more of the same with Inter.
Chinese journalist Bin Yan, who in 2021 reported in advance that Messi was to win his seventh Ballon d’Or, hinted on Chinese social media platform Weibo that the Argentinian was set to win an eighth, before continuing on to China for a match against Chengdu Rongcheng.
Bin posted that Messi would be “wearing a pink jersey, seizing something from Paris … on [October] 30, and then China on [November] 5!”
Even before confirmation from Miami, Weibo users were eagerly anticipating the 36-year-old’s arrival, with the topic accumulating millions of views within hours.
As one fan put it: “Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Please God bless me and make my dreams come true.”
“I will really cry,” another wrote.
“The positive effects of Argentina’s last trip to Beijing were reported by [local news],” recalled a third person. “Last time the national team, this time the club welcomes the world champion to come to China again.”
Messi was an instant sensation after joining Inter in July, but has been sidelined in recent weeks by a hamstring injury.
