Lionel Messi Encounters Border Control Issue at Beijing Airport while Attempting to Use Spanish Passport Instead of Argentine One
During his visit to China, Lionel Messi, the former Barcelona star, faced a situation at the border control of Beijing Airport. He arrived in China via a private jet accompanied by his assistant and a group of friends, including fellow Argentine player Angel di Maria. Messi’s purpose of travel was to join his national team ahead of a friendly match against Australia scheduled for Thursday.
A video circulating on social media captured the moment when the 35-year-old footballer was surrounded by several police officers at the airport. In the footage, Messi can be seen holding onto his passport while engaging in a conversation with the authorities regarding the issue. Local Chinese media reported that the problem arose because Messi presented the wrong passport during the process.
It is believed that Messi mistakenly believed he could use his Spanish passport to travel to Taiwan, assuming it would also be valid for entry into China. He was reportedly heard questioning, “Is Taiwan not China?” As a consequence, the World Cup winner experienced a delay of an additional two hours before eventually being granted a visa and allowed to proceed.
