Lionel Messi will lead world champions Argentina in a friendly against Australia in Beijing, the country said on Monday, followed by another game in Indonesia.
The clash on June 15 at the Workers’ Stadium in the Chinese
capital is a rematch of Argentina and Australia’s meeting in the last 16 of the
Qatar World Cup.
Messi scored in a 2-1 win for Argentina and they went on to
win the World Cup.
“On June 15, Lionel Messi will lead the Argentinian national
team in a friendly against Australia in Beijing,” the South American country’s
embassy in China said on the Twitter-like Weibo.
Separately, the national team also announced another
friendly, against Indonesia in Jakarta on June 19, as part of a summer “Asia
Tour”.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said
playing in China will further boost ties between the two countries after years
of troubled relations.
“Football is truly the global game and for Australia to be
invited to play this match in China, and against the world number one, we hope
this will open further opportunities for our two nations to work together both
on and off the football field,” Johnson said.
“It’s been 15 years since our senior men’s national team
played in China and we are truly excited to be returning to face Argentina at
the newly renovated Workers’ Stadium in Beijing,” he added.
International sport has only just begun to return to China
after Beijing abruptly ditched strict virus curbs late last year. AFP