Li Xian's appearance at the Atlanta stadium in the US, invited by a tournament sponsor, quickly became a global talking point. Videos of him carrying the match ball onto the field before the Spain versus Saudi Arabia game amassed hundreds of millions of views and hundreds of thousands of comments across social media platforms.

Li Xian before kickoff. Video: Weibo

The official FIFA Weibo account featured a series of photos of Li Xian, noting: "He brings both handsomeness and vitality to the stadium." This marked a significant moment, as Li Xian became the first Chinese actor to perform the ceremonial ball presentation at an official World Cup match.

Chinese audiences reacted with humor, playing on the actor's name, 'Li Xian' (which can mean 'to appear' or 'to be present' in Vietnamese). Comments included: "Our national team isn't at the tournament, but this person has 'appeared'," and "So China has made an appearance at this year's World Cup after all."

Actor Li Xian. Photo: Weibo/FIFA

Li Xian, 35, is a prominent Chinese actor, known for popular television dramas such as 'Go Go Squid!', 'Meet Yourself', and 'A Dream of Splendor'. An avid sports enthusiast, he is a long-time fan of Real Madrid and has expressed admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo. According to Mtime, Li Xian maintains a positive public image within the entertainment industry, with no personal scandals. His on-screen characters often portray intelligence, kindness, and strong ambition.

Li Xian is currently filming 'Li Vu Thanh', where he stars alongside Truong Tinh Nghi. He plays Manh Phu Uyen, a successful technology entrepreneur. His character secretly loves Tran Thanh Vu (Truong Tinh Nghi), who is intended by her family to marry Manh Ky Nhien, Manh Phu Uyen's younger brother. However, Ky Nhien does not value Thanh Vu's affections.

Nhu Anh