SUMMARY
- Lionel Messi's absence from a friendly match in Hong Kong led to disappointment among fans.
- The Chinese FA responded to the incident.
Lionel Messi has one of the biggest fanbases in the world. However, the Argentine has seen unprecedented growth in fandom in Asia recently. Asians have adored the 36-year-old’s skills and tenacity on the pitch. Therefore, it is natural to assume that every soccer fan from the world’s largest continent desires to watch his idol play at least once in their life.
Chinese FA ‘sever ties with Argentine FA and delete all Messi news’
byu/SweetExtent3456 infootball
However, the fans from Hong Kong suffered extreme heartbreak when the FIFA World Cup 2022 winner arrived in their country. A combination of gross mismanagement by the organizers and an unfortunate injury to Messi resulted in a cruel setback for soccer fans in Hong Kong.
Chinese FA drops updates on Lionel Messi from their website
In an unfortunate turn of events, Lionel Messi could not feature in the friendly match between Inter Miami and Hong Kong XI. The former won the game 4-1 in a very dominant manner. However, Messi’s absence from the game overshadowed the result on the pitch. The fans were quite angry with his absence and vandalized Inter Miami’s hoardings in the stadium.
Even the Government of Hong Kong had to intervene and issue a statement. The statement addressed the government and the soccer fans’ disappointment about the incident. The Hong Kong government believes (via The Sun) that “The organizers owe all football fans an explanation.”
The fans’ anger is somewhat justified considering the huge ticket prices that the fans paid to watch Inter Miami’s game. The tickets ranged from around $113 to $624. Many soccer fans had taken leaves from their offices to watch their favorite player play. But it all ended in bitter disappointment for them.
However, the authorities have reacted to the incident. The Chinese FA has temporarily suspended all ties with its Argentine counterpart, including the Argentina National Soccer Team. In another shocking turn of events, Lionel Messi-related content is nowhere to be found on the Chinese FA’s website.
Tata Martino, the head coach of Inter Miami declared that the former FC Barcelona player wasn’t fit enough to feature against Hong Kong XI. But the recent developments around the story have soccer fans pondering the credibility of the manager’s comments.
Lionel Messi plays in Japan despite being injured 3 days ago
The Argentine featured for 30 minutes in the game held on February 7, 2024, between Vissel Kobe and Inter Miami. The match ended 0-0, however the MLS side went on to lose 4-3 on penalties. This is the American side’s 4 defeats in their last 5 preseason games. However, the talking point of the game was Lionel Messi’s involvement rather than Inter Miami’s loss.
Just 3 days after declining an offer to play in Hong Kong, the former Paris Saint-Germain player entered the pitch in the 60th minute. The incident sent shockwaves across the globe and even forced Lionel Messi to upload an apology note.
Lionel Messi reveals why he didn’t play in Hong Kong. 🇭🇰🗣️
pic.twitter.com/BMVvRvy9jE— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 7, 2024
Media outlets have accused the 36-year-old of ‘favoritism.’ Messi has missed only one preseason game in Asia with Inter Miami which happened against Hong Kong XI.
Despite the headache, Inter Miami would hope to end their preseason on a high note. In the final game of their preseason, the MLS side would face Messi’s former side Newell’s Old Boys in a friendly. The club based in Miami, Florida will begin their MLS campaign on February 21, 2024, against Real Salt Lake. It would be interesting to see if Lionel Messi is fit enough to feature in the league opener.