Football enthusiasts in Hong Kong experienced a mix of anticipation and frustration on Sunday as their high expectations were dashed during Inter Miami’s friendly against Hong Kong XI. Lionel Messi, the Argentine football maestro, remained on the bench as an unused substitute, leaving 38,323 fans in the stadium deeply disappointed after spending over 1,000 Hong Kong dollars on tickets.
Despite Messi’s absence, Inter Miami secured a convincing 4-1 victory, with goals from Robert Taylor, Lawson Sunderland, Leonardo Campana, and Ryan Sailor. Surprisingly, even Luis Suarez, another star player, was benched and did not make an appearance as a substitute.
Throughout the second half, disgruntled fans chanted “We want Messi,” expressing their frustration at the football icon’s absence. As it became clear that Messi wouldn’t play, spectators began demanding refunds. At the final whistle, when Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham attempted to thank the fans for their support, he was met with jeers, boos, and thumbs-down gestures.
The Hong Kong government released a statement expressing disappointment with the event’s organization, stating, “Regarding Messi not playing the match today, the Government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed about the organiser’s arrangement. The organiser owes all football fans an explanation.”
Leading up to the match, Hong Kong had been adorned with Messi’s face on giant screens, a boat featuring his image sailed around the harbor, and pop-up stores designed like Inter Miami’s dressing room sold Messi’s jerseys and merchandise. The friendly, organized by Tatler as part of their XFEST exhibition match, was a significant component of Hong Kong’s tourism strategy, with authorities allocating over 15 million Hong Kong dollars in grants to the event. Tickets reportedly sold out within an hour of the announcement in December.
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Fans felt betrayed by Messi’s absence, as the football star failed to make even a substitute appearance. Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino apologized to the fans, explaining that Messi wasn’t fit to play. “We understand fans are very disappointed, and we ask for their forgiveness. We wish we could have sent them on the pitch for a while to play, but the risk was too big,” Martino stated.
In a statement, Tatler Hong Kong echoed the disappointment, saying, “We, alongside all football fans who attended that match, had been eagerly anticipating Messi’s and Suárez’s participation and share in the disappointment felt by everyone watching.”
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