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On February 4, Messi’s absence from the match between Inter Miami and the Hong Kong XI team sparked significant backlash. Many on Weibo questioned how the star was able to make such a quick recovery three days after the Hong Kong game. Others lashed out against what they saw as disrespect for Hong Kong – and China. In Monday’s video, Messi denied that his absence was due to political reasons and reiterated that he was unable to make the game because of an inflamed adductor that had worsened the day before the game in Hong Kong. “I’ve had a very close and special relationship with China and I’ve done a lot of things in China,” Messi said in the video.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi, Weibo, “ I’ve, ” Messi, “, Hong Kong, XFEST, CNN’s Simone McCarthy, Chris Lau Organizations: CNN, Inter Miami, Hong Kong XI, Argentina’s, Vissel, Weibo Locations: Hong Kong, Weibo, Vissel Kobe, Tokyo, China, China’s Sichuan, Beijing

☆ Lionel Messi expresses regret over not being able to play in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Teele Rebane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi expressed regret Tuesday over not being able to play in a friendly match in Hong Kong. Messi, who plays for Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, did not step onto the pitch to play against a Hong Kong XI on Sunday, causing outrage among fans. A sellout crowd of 40,000 attended the match in Hong Kong, but the occasion ended acrimoniously when fans booed, jeered and called for ticket refunds as Messi remained on the bench. Even the Hong Kong government said it was “disappointed” that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner wasn’t brought on during the match. Messi added that he could understand why people were upset that he had not participated in the match, but expressed hope that Miami could play in Hong Kong again at some point.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi, ” Messi, clamoring, jeered, ”, Ballon, wasn’t, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, Luis Suárez Organizations: CNN, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Hong, Hong Kong XI, Inter, Miami, Wednesday, Vissel Locations: Argentine, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kobe, Vissel Kobe

☆ Hong Kong officials demand answers for Lionel Messi no-show
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —The Hong Kong government’s repeated requests for Lionel Messi to play in a sell-out soccer match went unanswered Sunday, a city official said, as cheers turned to jeers for the Argentine soccer legend. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government, which provided more than $2 million in grants to the match organizer, also said it was “extremely disappointed” the star did not play. Fans make their feelings clear after Lionel Messi's Hong Kong no-show. ‘We do feel a bit scammed’“Messi mania” had captured Hong Kong with Inter Miami’s arrival on Friday as fans swarmed the Major League Soccer team’s hotel. Meanwhile, the stadium reached full capacity during the Inter Miami’s open training session the evening before the match.

Persons: Hong Kong government’s, Lionel Messi, jeers, –, Messi, Ballon, Kevin Yeung, XFEST, Lionel Messi's, Justin Chin, Yeung, “, ” Yeung, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, ‘, ’ “ Messi, ”, Ada Kam, Luis Suárez Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong, Inter Miami’s, Hong, Hong Kong XI, Culture, Bloomberg, Getty, Inter, Major League Soccer team’s, CNN, Nigeria Locations: Hong Kong, Hong, Argentine, Lionel Messi's Hong Kong, Miami, Inter Miami’s, Tokyo, China, Argentina, Hangzhou, Ivory Coast, Beijing

☆ Hong Kong government may cut support funding after Messi did not play in friendly match
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, CHINA - FEBRUARY 04: Fans react after not seeing Inter Miami's Argentine forward Lionel Messi play during the friendly match between Hong Kong Team and Inter Miami CF at Hong Kong Stadium on February 4, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. The Hong Kong government said it may cut funding for a friendly match after soccer legend Lionel Messi did not take the pitch on Sunday. The Miami Herald reported that Messi had an MRI last week ahead of a friendly match in Saudi Arabia. The friendly match had been awarded "M" Mark status which is granted to major sporting events held in the city. Hong Kong said it had awarded the event a matching grant of 15 million Hong Kong dollars ($1.9 million) and a venue grant of HK$1 million.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi Organizations: Inter Miami's Argentine, Hong Kong Team, Inter Miami CF, Hong Kong, Hong, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Argentine, Miami Herald, Florida, China, HK Locations: HONG KONG, CHINA, Hong Kong, China, ., Saudi Arabia

☆ Lionel Messi no-show ignites booing and calls for refunds at Inter Miami match in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —Thousands of soccer fans in Hong Kong were left disappointed when Argentine superstar Lionel Messi failed to take to the field in a friendly match for Inter Miami on Sunday. What started with overwhelming cheers and rapture ended in boos and calls for refunds in the sold-out, 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium. Inter Miami — out to prove a point having gone winless during a worldwide pre-season tour — comfortably defeated a Hong Kong XI 4-1 in an event branded as Tatler XFEST Hong Kong. According to Reuters, tickets went on sale in December and cost between 880 and 4,880 Hong Kong dollars (about $113 and $624). “This whole Messi in Hong Kong thing has been building up for quite some time.

Persons: Lionel Messi, —, Messi, Ballon, Hong, “ Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Louise Delmotte, David Beckham, Messi ”, ”, XFEST, Suárez, “, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, Leo, Luis, ” Martino, apologetically, Hong Kong, “ Leo, Suarez, ” Suárez, Martino, Yapp Hung, Yapp, Messi superfan Christer Leung, ” Leung, Lionel, Lam Yik, Reuters “ Messi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Argentine, Inter Miami, Hong Kong Stadium, Inter Miami —, Hong, Reuters, CNN, Miami, Al, MLS, Major League Soccer, Hong Kong XI, fai, Messi, Argentina, ’, Inter, USA, Sports, Ardent, Argentina national, Australia, Nigeria, Vissel Kobe Locations: Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, America, China, Beijing, Argentina, Ivory Coast, Hangzhou, Japan

HONG KONG (AP) — Lionel Messi stayed on the bench for the full 90 minutes on Sunday as Inter Miami defeated a Hong Kong XI 4-1 in the latest stop on the MLS team’s preseason Asian tour. Messi played the final seven minutes of the losing effort but a tight hamstring kept the eight-time Ballon D’or winner on the sidelines in Hong Kong along with Uruguayan forward and former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez. The fans who filled the same arena a day earlier at least saw the 2022 World Cup winner in an open training session along with Miami co-owner David Beckham. Robert Taylor opened the scoring for Miami five minutes before the break with a curling shot from the corner of the area. Miami finishes its Asian tour in Japan on Wednesday as it takes on Vissel Kobe.

Persons: — Lionel Messi, Saudi Arabia’s, Messi, Ballon, Luis Suarez, David Beckham, Robert Taylor, Henri Anier, Jorn Andersen, Lawson Sunderland, Miami’s, Leonardo Campana, Ryan Sailor, ___ Organizations: Inter Miami, Hong, MLS, Hong Kong, Miami, Saudi, Uruguayan Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Nassr, Riyadh, Barcelona, Japan, Kobe

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