Lionel Messi is a household name and he does not need any introduction. Whether you like watching people running and kicking a ball for about 90 minutes, everyone can agree that Messi is an iconic Argentinian man. He has since played 1,045 games, scored 821 goals and provided 344 assists.
However, he has recently dipped his boots in some hot water. In fact, his boots were barely stained by the Hong Kong soil and people were upset, rightfully so.
Brewing Disappointment
In early Feb 2024, the Inter Miami preseason kicked off, starting off in the United States of America, El Salvador and Saudi Arabia, before landing in Hong Kong on 4 Feb.
Inter Miami was expected to play against the Hong Kong All Stars after a disappointing 6-0 loss against Al-Nassr in Riyadh. While there was great anticipation for an intense soccer rivalry between Christiano Ronaldo (playing for Al-Nassr) and Lionel Messi (playing for Inter Miami), fans were quickly disappointed.
Ronaldo did not play that day, and Messi only came onto the field in the 83rd minute as a substitute. Clearly, seven minutes of Messi content is not enough. This was also a rare moment for us to watch him play against other soccer giants after he said that the 2022 World Cup would be his last.
Messi’s Injury
In an interview with ESPN, Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, brought fans’ hopes up, stating that Messi is likely to play against the Hong Kong All Stars despite a bad hamstring problem.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Messi fans snagged tickets to watch him in action in Hong Kong. The venue sold out, and the crowd paid at least HK$880 (S$150.93) to watch the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
People are willing to widen the holes in their pockets for him, similar to the Swifties recently. A Category 1 ticket for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Singapore went for $348, and all six nights were sold out.
Not So Friendly in Hong Kong
However, while the crowds in Singapore had a great time watching Taylor do her thing, soccer fans did not have the same luxury.
Due to his injury, Messi blended in with the crowd, spectating the match from the benches.
Yes, he did not touch the ball.
Fans were upset, booing at him and demanding answers. The government and organiser were speechless too, stating that his lack of kicking was unexpected.
Fans wanted a refund, and the friendly’s organiser, Tatler Asia, stated on Monday (18 Mar), that a 50 per cent refund is underway (but only to those who brought the tickets officially).
Fans were even more hurt when they found out that Messi played at their next stop. Messi was on the field for 30 minutes in Japan against Vissel Kobe in Tokyo, a well-loved top-tier J-League football champion.
Anyway, the 2024 Inter Miami friendlies will continue till Oct 2024. There are plenty of opportunities for Messi fans to watch him in action, even if it means you have to do it online.
We can only hope that Messi recovers quickly and appease his fans soon.