Lionel Messi’s refusal to play for Inter Miami in an exhibition match in Hong Kong has caused outrage across Hong Kong and China, sparking heated discussions.
Pro-Beijing lawmakers strongly criticized Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, and suggested Hong Kong never host Inter Miami again.
Why Messi Avoided Shaking Hands With Hong Kong Chief Executive
Messi has always been a model citizen off the field, yet his lack of interest in other pursuits outside football has caused some critics to question his integrity. A major controversy ensued after Messi refused to play during Inter Miami’s exhibition match in Hong Kong.
Tatler Asia lost out on more than HK$16 million worth of government funding as a result, leaving thousands of fans disappointed after paying up to HK$5,000 per ticket – more than some professional soccer players’ annual salaries!
Regina Ip, convener of Hong Kong’s top advisory body and pro-establishment lawmaker, expressed outrage at Messi’s no-show, attributing it to “a black hand”. Meanwhile, influential voices like editor-in-chief of Global Times speculated on political motivations behind his decision not to appear. How this incident will affect Messi’s relationships with Chinese brands remains to be seen.
Messi’s Embarrassment
Inter Miami soccer superstar Lionel Messi had been scheduled to appear in Hong Kong during their tour of Asia; instead, due to an injury he missed out and the team proceeded with their itinerary towards Japan, sparking widespread outrage from fans and critics alike.
Hong Kongers have responded with outrage and demanded refunds; after all, Messi sold hundreds of tickets for hundreds of dollars to his fans who paid hundreds to see him live. Some even blame foreign forces for this unfortunate turn of events – alleging they wanted to embarrass Hong Kong over this matchup.
netizens quickly noticed that he had avoided shaking hands with Chief Executive and other officials; instead he chose to stay behind them to avoid being welcomed by anyone. His conduct has since been heavily criticised in the media, likely leaving him feeling quite embarrassed and showing that even legendary footballers like him can quickly lose popularity in China – it may take him quite some time to gain their favor back; hence why so much work lies ahead for him to win back his fans disappointed with his absence in Hong Kong.
Messi’s Mistake
Messi’s decision to skip an exhibition match in Hong Kong continues to spark outrage on social media, with many users venting their ire over his actions and seeking refunds for tickets purchased for that game.
Many fans who are angry with him are those who paid to see him play and they should take comfort knowing they represent a minority opinion.
Regina Ip, senior adviser to Hong Kong’s Chief Executive has also lashed out at Messi for his actions, alleging they were deliberate and calculated. Ip’s comment received over 20,000 likes on Twitter; by contrast, most criticisms directed toward Messi received far fewer likes, reflecting that most people simply are not engaged with this matter; those bothered will eventually move on from it all.
Messi’s Response
Hong Kong officials demanded answers from Inter Miami after its star player, failed to show for Sunday’s much-hyped match at a sold out stadium full of angry fans booing them out of a match they were scheduled for, prompting much consternation among spectators who attended it instead of attending it themselves. Government spokesman Tian Chan expressed “confusion and disappointment” over their absence while explaining it was hard for her understand why Inter Miami would skip Hong Kong when already scheduled to play a match against Tokyo this Wednesday before wrapping up in Florida next week. Senior adviser Regina Ip made her feelings known via social media posting X that Hong Kong people hate Messi for what she called their deliberate and calculated snub.
As the controversy quickly became a top trending topic on Chinese social media, many fans who had purchased tickets continued their demand for refunds. Meanwhile, he made no bones about his feelings on the matter either by criticizing Torino forward Antonio Sanabria via video replay that appears to show him spitting at seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi himself.
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