SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning Argentina teammates are anticipated to attract virtually 70,000 followers to Beijing Worker’s Stadium for an exhibition in opposition to Australia.
With tickets beginning at round $80 for Thursday’s sport, native supporters are excited to see Messi and proceed the World Cup celebrations. Fans have flocked to all alternatives to see the Argentine star for the reason that group arrived in China, with massive crowds angling for pictures and chanting his identify.
Messi’s transfer to “continue my path” in Miami final week made world headlines after he turned down extraordinarily profitable provides from Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia in favor of Major League Soccer.
He mentioned that after profitable the World Cup, it was his time to go the United States and “live football in another way.”
Before then, he’s with the Argentina squad that’s scheduled to play Australia within the Chinese capital and tackle Indonesia in Jakarta 4 days later.
Australia coach Graham Arnold mentioned he was wanting ahead to giving a collection of younger gamers some invaluable expertise.
“There’s no better team to test yourself against than he best in the world,” Arnold mentioned in an interview for Chinese TV. “It’s going to be nice for the gamers – not solely the gamers, however for everybody right here in China and again in Australia – to see Lionel Messi play.
“He’s such a wonderful player and obviously best in the world. To have those privileges to test yourself against him, it’s important.”
Messi led Argentina to a 2-1 win over the Australians within the Round of 16 on the World Cup final 12 months in Qatar.
For the Socceroos, although, this rematch just isn’t about revenge for a defeat however extra the journey to the subsequent Asian Cup, at Qatar in January, and past.
“It’s a younger squad but I’m also looking with one eye on the World Cup in 2026 and getting players ready for that,” Arnold mentioned. “I don’t believe there’s a better way to test them out.”
Australia, which joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 and gained the regional title on house soil in 2015, will tackle India, Syria and Uzbekistan on the Asian Cup.
Arnold has handed first call-ups to Italian-based defender Alessandro Circati and Melbourne City goalkeeper Thomas Glover, and has recalled Gianni Stensness and Denis Genreau.
In different worldwide friendlies this week, Japan will play El Salvador and South Korea, led by former U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, will tackle Peru on Friday.
Klinsmann is sweating on the health of Tottenham star participant Son Heung-min, who had a hernia operation after the tip of the English Premier League season. According to Korea Football Association officers, Son desires to play but it surely has but to be determined.
Oh Hyeon-gu, who helped Celtic to the Scottish championship, might make the step up in Son’s absence.
“I don’t know about playing time, but whether I am given one minute or 90 minutes, I will do my best,” Oh mentioned. “I traveled to Qatar for the World Cup. I was so desperate to play and I know all the stadiums … I want to make those dream moments if I can go to the Asian Cup.”
Oh’s Celtic teammate Kyogo Furuhashi didn’t make Japan’s roster on the World Cup however the Scottish Premiership Player of the Year has been recalled by Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu.
“He has been contributing to the team’s victories with consistent performance and a strong presence on the field,” Moriyasu, who’s seeking to lead Japan to a fifth continental title, mentioned of the striker. “We expect him to score goals and be involved in creating goal-scoring opportunities.”
As properly because the Asian Cup, Qatar is getting ready for a second successive visitor look later this month on the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the match that determines the champion of the area that encapsulates North and Central America in addition to the Caribbean.
It begins with a pleasant in opposition to Jamaica in Austria on Thursday. At the World Cup, Qatar misplaced all three of its group video games however appointed former Real Madrid and Portugal boss Carlos Queiroz in February.
The defending Asian champion, which additionally reached the semifinals of the 2021 Gold Cup, will tackle Haiti, Honduras and Mexico within the match hosted by the United States.
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