Iraq Conclude World Cup Preparations with a Defeat to Venezuela

As the World Cup approaches, Chinese merchants are experiencing a significant boom in sales by producing and selling fan merchandise. Factories in Yiwu, China's wholesale hub, are churning out items ranging from plush toys shaped like goats in Lionel Messi's Argentina kit to teddy bears dressed in Spain's colors and roosters in France polos.

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Perhaps now because of the economic environment... people's choices are no longer practical ones. People now care a lot about emotional value. That is, 'I want to buy something that I really love. That, when I look at it, makes me really happy.'

All Star Partner, a company with contracts to produce branded products for teams like Argentina, reports a five-fold increase in sales this year compared to the 2022 World Cup. Their best-selling items include palm-sized soft-toy goats, a homage to Messi's "greatest of all time" (GOAT) title. The company's CEO, Luo Bin, noted that a "very ordinary" bear dressed in a football kit was their first successful iteration in this category, selling tens of thousands quickly.

Luo Bin explained that in the current economic climate, consumers are prioritizing "emotional value" over practicality. "People now care a lot about emotional value. That is, 'I want to buy something that I really love. That, when I look at it, makes me really happy,'" he said. This focus on emotional connection is providing a much-needed boost to China's domestic economy, which has been struggling with sluggish consumption.

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Right now, young people are under a lot of pressure and they need some emotional and economic exits.

Football fans, particularly young people, are seeking "emotional and economic exits" from daily pressures. Influencer Zhu Hui noted that the 79 yuan ($11.60) Messi goats were among the most popular items. "I've found that Chinese people are actually highly enthusiastic about football stars, and (their enthusiasm) lasts a long time," the 28-year-old commented, highlighting the enduring appeal of football stars in the country.

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I've found that Chinese people are actually highly enthusiastic about football stars, and (their enthusiasm) lasts a long time.