The Workers’ Stadium was filled with fans wearing Argentina’s blue-and-white-striped jerseys, mostly with No.10 on the back. Official figures showed the attendance was 51,385, though some believe the number was higher, as the stadium’s capacity is 68,000.

Messi was the marquee attraction on the pitch, and Chinese fans used various ways to chant his name during the match, while some blew their African vuvuzela instruments.

It was Messi’s eighth visit to China since 2004.One fan went a bit too far as he invaded the pitch to hug Messi and ran over to Argentine keeper Emiliano Martinez, before being escorted away by security staff. Pitch invaders are rarely seen at football events in China, and fans inside the stadium took turns to take a photo with the young pitch invader. 

The much-anticipated game drew nationwide attention, as fans from as far as South China’s Guangdong Province and Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province traveled to Beijing for the match. 

Messi fulfilled the expectation of his fans in Beijing on the day, scoring a stylish goal in just second minute of the match in Argentina's 2-0 win over Australia at Workers' Stadium. But the more significant part of the day was Messi and his teammates' including the coach Scaloni's gratude towards the ecstatic fans. 

Messi expressed pride to have seen the passion among the Chinese fans for him. Coach Scaloni commented, "Everybody in the team is proud that they are so passionate for us." Scaloni, talking to Chinese media after the match through an interpreter added,"We’ve been preparing for the game for several days even though the players are on vacation after a long season."