The upcoming visit of the Argentine national soccer team to Beijing is causing great excitement among Chinese fans.
In an interview with Sputnik, analyst Gonzalo Fiore discusses the ‘soft power’ generated by striker Lionel Messi and how Argentina benefits from it.
On June 15, Argentina’s national soccer team will face its Australian counterpart at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing in a friendly match that has generated great expectation among locals, with tickets costing around US$1,500.
The match will be played on the same day as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s birthday.
According to El Cronista, the arrival of Lionel Messi & Co in China was jokingly referred to as “Argentina’s gift” by the delegation led by Economy Minister Sergio Massa during his recent visit to China.
Soccer has become a true country brand for Argentina, the current world champion, and the admiration for Messi, beyond his sporting abilities, represents a gateway to doing business with distant and remote partners.
The South American striker “is undoubtedly the most famous person in the world.”
“Even more than Pope [Francis], who is also Argentine.”
“He has a big influence and is historically respected and famous in countries.”
“Culturally, we did not have many ties with countries such as Arab and Asian countries,” said Argentine lawyer and master in international relations Gonzalo Fiore in a dialogue with Sputnik.
The expert considered that soccer is “the fundamental issue” regarding the soft power the southern country exercises at the world level.
“Argentina is a country that in terms of soft power has several symbolic issues, either from the cinema, now that we had a film nominated for an Oscar this year [Argentina, 1985], or from music, with all that is the urban movement, but also with the national rock of always, tango,” he added.
Fiore considers Messi as an heir of Diego Armando Maradona’s importance at the international level “as an exporting element of Argentine culture”.
“Soccer, in general, and today, Messi, in particular, are an element in favor of Argentina,” he expressed.
“Of course, it is not being used as such by the State, at least not in the maximum capacity, as it could or should be.”
THE BANGLADESHI EXAMPLE
The third World Cup title won in Qatar in 2022 reinforced the concept of soft power exercised by Argentina in the matter.
One example was the case of Bangladesh, the small Asian country that was fanatic about the Argentine national team’s performance in the last World Cup, which meant the reopening of diplomatic relations between the two countries, closed in 1976.
“Argentina coming out as world champion, the picture of Messi with the cup, was a step further in this.”
“The photo of Messi with the cup was the most liked in the history of Instagram, that tells you about the importance at the international level of soft power, through Messi and soccer,” the Argentine lawyer consigned.
In the case of Bangladesh, “it goes along these lines,” Fiore acknowledged.
“From the World Cup and all that is unleashed in social networks, all the furor of Bangladeshi fans, is another element that serves to open the embassy and resume diplomatic relations” between the two nations.
“Argentina has the commodities that Bangladesh can buy, and in terms of foreign trade, it is a market in which Argentina has a lot of potential to gain.”
“It is not only a cultural issue but an economic component. But clearly, the soccer issue was and is a very important catalyst,” he said.
MESSI, THE CARD TO CONCRETE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA
Argentina has a very fluid diplomatic relationship with China.
It has been part of the Belt and Road initiative since 2022.
The Asian country is the second most important trading partner for the South American country, with the potential to be the first.
“Argentina today cannot think about its long-term development without a fluid relationship with China.”
“So, I don’t know to what extent soccer is necessary, but it does not subtract, and it can add some extra points; why not?” said Fiore.
The Argentine Soccer Association (AFA) “must partner with Argentina in foreign policy; there is a need for more political work between the two organizations.”
He pointed out that there is “more interrelation and joint action in politics because today’s soccer as an element of soft power is unavoidable, more so for a country like Argentina and even more so in the context of Argentina being a world champion, with so many young stars”.
“Honestly, I don’t know if Xi Jinping is going to be at the stadium, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he is; if there is a photo of Xi Jinping with Messi and the players,” he said.
Regarding the possibility of a meeting between the Chinese leader and the world soccer star, “I don’t know if it can add up,” Fiore reflects.
However, “it can be one more tool to concretize more diplomatic and commercial negotiations”, he concluded.
With information from Sputnik
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