Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja Photo: Zhang Yashu/GT

As the much-anticipated friendly soccer match between the FIFA World Cup champions, Argentina and Australia is set to take place at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing, the Argentine Ambassador to China, Sabino Vaca Narvaja, recently expressed his hopes regarding the game and gratitude toward Chinese fans in an exclusive interview with the Global Times.

"To all Argentine soccer fans and Chinese spectators: We are delighted by the enthusiasm you have shown, and hope that you can support our national team as usual in Thursday's match. With your care and support, we believe we will achieve excellent results. So, come on, Argentina!" Narvaja told the Global Times.

Recently, the Argentine national team including its legendary superstar Lionel Messi, arrived in Beijing to prepare for the friendly match against Australia on Thursday. The arrival of the Argentine national team has attracted keen attention from Chinese fans and soccer enthusiasts. 

Messi arrived in China on his private jet on Saturday to kick off his seventh visit to China. A ground crew member at the airport became known as the "luckiest man" in China, as he had the remarkable opportunity to be the first fan to have Messi sign a timeless Argentina team blue-and-white striped jersey. This fortunate encounter quickly captured the attention of numerous fans who marveled at the ground crew member's extraordinary luck and envied the cherished memento he obtained. 

The signed jersey symbolized the deep connection between Messi and his devoted Chinese fanbase, adding to the excitement surrounding his visit.

On the day of the Argentine team's arrival, large number of Chinese fans in blue-and-white striped jerseys thronged the airport, and later the team's hotel, warmly cheering and displaying welcome banners in English and Spanish. 

Data released by travel platforms reveals that hotel bookings in Beijing for the night of the match are five times higher than the usual rates, and luxury hotel reservations in Beijing's Chaoyang district alone, where Messi is residing, have surged 30-fold.

According to Narvaja, he and the Australian Ambassador to China will jointly kick off the friendly match on Thursday.

The ticket prices for the upcoming match in Beijing are comparable to those of the World Cup, ranging from 580 yuan ($81) to 4,800 yuan. They were immediately sold out. 

During the interview, Narvaja also discussed the cooperation between China and Argentina in the field of soccer, as well as his expectations and wishes for Chinese soccer. 

"We firmly believe that through cooperation with Argentina and the development of young Chinese players, Chinese soccer has a bright future. So, you can rely on our support, and we sincerely appreciate your concern and love. Come on, China! Come on, Chinese national soccer team!" he said. 

Public information shows that the China-Argentina soccer cooperation plan began in May 2017, actively promoting a memorandum of understanding on soccer cooperation signed by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Ministry of Education and Sports of Argentina. 

According to the plan, young Chinese players from different age groups will be selected to go to Argentina for long-term or short-term training programs under local coaches, participate in warm-up matches organized by the Argentine Football Association, and establish joint clubs to compete in local leagues in the future. 

At the same time, Argentina will send coaches to China to train Chinese coaches and scout for fresh talent. In recent years, soccer programs in cooperation with Argentina have been emerging in several provinces in China.