Argentine soccer hero Lionel Messi returned to China for the first time in six years on Tuesday, drawing enthusiastic interest from Chinese soccer fans.

According to China’s Guangming Daily and other media outlets, Messi arrived at Beijing Airport on a private plane on Tuesday to take part in a friendly match between Argentina and Australia at Beijing Gongren Stadium on Nov. 15.

Messi, who left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to play for Inter Miami in the American professional soccer league, will stop in Beijing before heading to the U.S. for the match.

This will be Messi’s seventh trip to China, and his first in six years since 2017.

Outside the Beijing airport and Messi’s residence, football fans wearing Argentina national team jersey tops with his number 10 emblazoned on them chanted “Messi! Messi!” chants.

Many live-streamed Messi’s travels on social media.

With Chinese soccer going through a dark period in recent years, with the men’s national team struggling and high-profile allegations of corruption in the game, Chinese soccer fans seemed to find comfort in the visit of the biggest soccer star of his generation, who has judged the World Cup and European leagues.

Some mischaracterizations have also emerged.메이저사이트

According to the Gwangmyeong Daily, some people posted on social media that they would be able to “dine with the players,” “take a photo with Messi,” or “sign his jersey,” and then took the money.

In response, the organizers of the Argentina-Australia match announced, “The organizers of this match are not planning any public or commercial activities involving Messi and players from both teams participating in the match.”