Argentina's forward Lionel Messi (right) takes part with teammates in a training session ahead of the friendly match against the Australia national team, at the Workers' Stadium, in Beijing, China, on June 14, 2023. Photo: VCG

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said on Wednesday that Lionel Messi will play full match in the friendly against Australia on Thursday.

"He will play the full match in principle," Scaloni told the pre-match news conference through an interpreter on Wednesday at the Workers' Stadium. "Please don't worry."

Rumors have it that Messi will only feature for 45 minutes in the much anticipated friendly, as he just finished his season with Paris Saint-Germain. 

Separately, Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja told the Global Times that he and the Australian Ambassador to China will jointly kick off the friendly match on Thursday.

Wednesday's training session at the Workers' Stadium is the only training session that opened to the media since the team arrived in Beijing. Messi did not join it until the training session went closed doors 15 minutes after it started. Previously the Argentina team was holding their training session at the National Olympic Sports Center Stadium in northern Beijing. 

Since the match between Argentina and Australia was announced in May, the anticipation for the game went drastically high, and thousands of fans were expecting a ticket for the game. 

Tickets for Thursday's game at the 68,000-capacity Workers' Stadium have sold out rapidly despite soaring prices, with Chinese fans desperate to see Messi in the flesh.

However, the fans' enthusiasm for Messi has quickly turned into anger against the organizer, China Rainbow International Investment, which did not fulfill its commitment on ticketing and opened door for scalpers. 

The megastar's visiting has triggered an overwhelming enthusiasm that raised security concerns, and all his offline activities have been canceled due to security reasons. 

He also told China's sports newspaper Titan Sports on Monday that "in principle" he will not participate in another FIFA World Cup after the team won the 2022 edition in Qatar, though Scaloni is reportedly trying to persuade Messi to continue. 

Messi would turn 39 in the next FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Canada, the US and Mexico in 2026. Messi's decision of joining the MLS team Inter Miami has raised hopes that he could "revolutionize" US soccer. 

Global Times