5-2-2024 (HONG KONG) Lionel Messi and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham faced a chorus of boos on Sunday (Feb 4) as disgruntled fans demanded explanations and refunds following the Argentina superstar’s absence from the team’s pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
The city’s government insisted that organisers owed spectators an account of the circumstances surrounding the match, which saw the visitors triumph over a Hong Kong select XI by four goals to one.
Messi, the World Cup-winning captain, remained benched throughout the game due to a hamstring strain, much to the disappointment of the near-capacity crowd of 38,323. Fans had shelled out upwards of 1,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$125) to witness their icon in action, with some paying five times that amount.
Midway through the second half, chants of “We want Messi” reverberated throughout the Hong Kong Stadium as supporters clamoured to catch a glimpse of the legendary footballer. The discontent escalated during the final 10 minutes when it became evident that Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, would not make even a brief appearance.
The crescendo of boos reached its peak at the final whistle, drowning out Beckham’s attempts to express gratitude to the crowd for their support, as fans expressed their displeasure with thumbs-down gestures.
Expressing his disappointment, fan Jonathan Wong lamented, “Everyone is here to see Messi, so I feel a bit cheated. Without him, it’s just like another regular Hong Kong Premier League match, where a ticket only costs HK$80. This time we paid HK$5,000.”
Miami coach Gerardo Martino explained that the club’s medical team made the decision following an assessment on Sunday morning. “We understand the disappointment of the fans for the absence of Leo (Messi),” Martino said. “We understand a lot of fans are very disappointed and we ask for their forgiveness. We wish we could have sent Leo on for at least a while but the risk was too big.”
The 36-year-old Messi, who played just six minutes in Miami’s previous match in Saudi Arabia, faces a race against time to regain fitness for the new MLS season starting on Feb 21.
The disappointing turn of events marked the end of days of fervent “Messi mania” in Hong Kong. Tens of thousands had gathered to watch him train, and his presence had ignited a frenzy of excitement across the city.
Echoing the sentiments of the fans, the Hong Kong government warned that it could withdraw its funding of 16 million Hong Kong dollars (US$2 million) to the event organisers who facilitated Inter Miami’s visit to the city.
In response, the organisers of the event expressed “extreme disappointment” that neither Messi nor his Uruguayan teammate Luis Suarez participated in the match. They denied having prior knowledge of Messi’s absence before kickoff.
Despite the absence of Messi and Suarez, Inter Miami secured victory in the match, with Robert Taylor, Lawson Sunderland, Leonardo Campana, and Ryan Sailor all finding the net.
The win marked Miami’s first victory in five matches on their pre-season tour, which now moves to Japan for a friendly against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday.
