Messi Set to Return to China with Inter Miami

By Ned Kelly, October 16, 2023

FIFA World Cup 2022 winning captain Lionel Messi is set to return to play in China, this time with his club side Inter Miami.

Inter Miami have announced that they will visit the Middle Kingdom in November, taking on two Chinese Super League teams in friendly matches.

They will first face Qingdao Hainiu FC at the Qingdao Youth Football Stadium on November 5, before heading to Sichuan to take on Chengdu Rongcheng at the Phoenix Hill Sports Park on November 8.

Only established in 2018, this will be Inter Miami's very first international tour. Those who have watched new Netflix documentary Beckham will know that Inter Miami are owned by former England Captain David Beckham.

So will Golden Balls also be heading to the Middle Kingdom? We certainly hope so.

And what about Posh Spice? Well, sometimes dreams really do come true...

You might remember that World Champions Argentina played Australia in a friendly international in Beijing back in June.

Messi scored in that game, but that wasn't what made the headlines. No, they were dominated by the act of one young fan, who audaciously invaded the pitch – and expertly evaded security – to hug his hero.

Image via Weibo/@界外编辑部

Watch a video of the incident below:

Sadly, the young pitch-invader didn't get off scot-free. Those joyless fellows at the Chaoyang District Public Security Bureau (PSB) arrested him and put him in administrative detention.

He was also issued with a 12-month ban on attending similar sporting events, so sadly we can't expect an emotional reunion in Qingdao or Chengdu.

Image via Weibo/@界外编辑部