Fans are taking photos outside the Beijing Workers' Stadium before a friendly match between Argentina and Australia on June 15, 2023. Photo: VCG

Argentina's Ambassador to China, Sabino Vaca Narvaja is hoping for increased cooperation between Argentina and China, with a focus on exploring opportunities in sports to enhance bilateral trade.

The most recent highlight in the two countries' sports cooperation involved the Argentine national football team, who played their first international friendly match after winning the 2022 World Cup in Beijing in June.

Thousands of Chinese fans, most of whom wearing the No.10 jersey of iconic player Lionel Messi, flocked to the near-capacity 68,000-seat Workers' Stadium in Beijing on June 15, chanting the name of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Narvaja highlighted that exporting their technical expertise in the sports sector had become a significant source of income for Argentina, while also supporting China's football development strategy.

He emphasized the importance of long-term cooperation between the two nations and revealed that they are organizing another match in China, featuring Argentina's under-20 national team.

"We already have Argentine coaches based in China," the ambassador revealed. "And we are deepening player exchanges."

Narvaja acknowledged China's strengths in the football arena, including its extensive sporting infrastructure and the ability to implement long-term policies.

He also said that working with Argentina could accelerate China's progress even more quickly. "We want to collaborate with the development of football in this country," he asserted.

The potential for cooperation lies not only in football but also in other sports.

In basketball, for example, when China hosted the FIBA World Cup in 2019, thousands of Chinese fans were supporting the Argentina national team who made it to the finals, with their veteran captain Luiz Scola being singled out for his devotion to the sport.

Scola is popular in China mainly due to his partnership with China's basketball great Yao Ming when the duo were playing for the Houston Rockets in the NBA.