Chinese superfan books into Lionel Messi’s hotel for glimpse of hero in Beijing

It took hours of waiting, a pricey hotel room and an exhausting chase through Beijing, but it was all worth it for a Chinese fan of Lionel Messi who eventually got a blurry selfie with his hero.

Argentine legend Messi is in the Chinese capital for a friendly against Australia on Thursday and has been greeted by crowds of frenzied football fans eager for a glimpse.

Among them is Liu Yuhang, a 26-year-old computer programmer from the northeastern province of Liaoning who fell in love with the World Cup-winner a decade ago.

“He’s not just an athlete, he’s an artist,” Liu said on Monday. “He’s given me more meaning in life and become a kind of belief for me.”

He said he felt “really excited” when he heard Messi was making a rare visit to China – but knew he faced an uphill battle to see his idol in the flesh.

Liu first joined the throngs of fans waiting outside the Argentina squad’s hotel, but was unable to sneak a proper look at Messi on his way inside.