Hong Kong controversy ensues as Inter Miami's Lionel Messi misses pitch time on promotional tour
Recruiting football talents like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets has opened up new avenues for the American club, Inter Miami. The Florida-based team embarked on this tour to prepare for the MLS season. One of the stops on their journey was Hong Kong, an autonomous region of China.
8 February 2024 14:25
Inter Miami clinched a 4-1 victory against a team of local league talents. They managed to do so without Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on the pitch, but the crowd was primarily there to see Argentina's captain. Their disappointment at Lionel Messi's absence was audibly expressed during the match. His absence was officially put down to injury.
Tickets for the match were priced at approximately £110. In addition, the event received a subsidy from the Hong Kong government amounting to nearly £6 million. Such a decision may have been different had they not promoted the event using Lionel Messi's image.
The Chinese government got involved and is not hiding its anger at the situation in Hong Kong. It would have been challenging to turn a blind eye, as they received over 500 complaints regarding Inter Miami and Lionel Messi's actions. The conflict was further complicated because the Argentine featured in a similar match against Vissel Kobe in Japan just a few days later.
The Chinese response was harsh, even though they may have directed their frustration in the wrong direction. They decided to sever ties with the Argentine Football Association. While the Argentines had little to do with the match in Hong Kong, Lionel Messi, who left the fans disappointed, is the captain of their national team. However, it's not over.
The Chinese are so enraged with the football star that they have expunged all mentions of Lionel Messi from the football federation website. This action encompasses photos and articles concerning the Inter Miami player.
