The HKSAR Government has pledged to help the organizers of the event by securing up to HK$16 million in funding support, including matching grants and venue subsidies. Against this backdrop, tickets for the event were snapped up in just one month, with even fans from as far away as Xinjiang coming to see Lionel Messi in action. The SAR Government's relentless efforts were aimed at meeting the expectations of the public and fans, as well as satisfying Messi himself. However, it was not to be, and from the moment the Miami Internationals and Messi arrived in Hong Kong, the atmosphere became subtle: MoMo!
Fok Kai-kong disclosed on social media that despite the warm welcome ceremony for the Miami International team upon their arrival in Hong Kong, members of the team left in a hurry and quickly boarded their vehicles, ignoring the calls of the host of the ceremony and causing embarrassment to the guests at the scene. Fok described the scene as "dignity being trampled on harshly".
Immediately following the exhibition match in Hong Kong, Messi sat on a bench for 90 minutes without even taking off his jacket. Fok pointed out that the Director of the Hong Kong Cultural and Tourism Bureau made three attempts to allow Messi to play during the match, all of which were rejected by the coaching staff of the Miami International team, contrary to the previous negotiation between the SAR Government and the organizers that "Messi needs to be on the field for at least 45 minutes".
If Messi's refusal to come out was a sign of disrespect to the fans, his behavior after the match could be called "insulting". Originally, Messi was scheduled to speak and receive the award as the captain of the team, but he not only refused to speak and receive the award, he even went around the crowd and refused to shake hands with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. According to Fok, players should at least maintain basic respect in the face of thousands of fans and the Chief Executive, and this is not an ordinary public exhibition match. If they are unable to take the field, why can't they show proper etiquette?
Miami International claimed that Lionel Messi was injured and unable to play, but things started to reverse from Messi's arrival in Japan. Prior to the Japan friendly, Messi himself admitted that he was not injured and was only feeling sick. He refused to show up in Hong Kong despite an MRI that showed he was not injured. This statement seems to be a "misdirection", and Messi's Chinese social media account IP shows Sichuan, which raises more questions.
However, Messi came on as a substitute and played 30 minutes at the February 7 showpiece in Tokyo, Japan, a far cry from his "injured" image in Hong Kong. Japanese media also revealed that Messi was in good shape in training before the match, in contrast to his silence and "black face" in Hong Kong.
Fok once again posted a message asking Messi to explain and apologize to the people of Hong Kong. At this point, it no longer matters whether Messi is injured or not. His behavior of missing only the Hong Kong leg of his six matches in Asia is baffling. If he was really injured, why did he remain silent during the friendly matches in Asia? Fans in Hong Kong traveled thousands of miles and spent huge sums of money to see him, only to be treated like this.
According to soccer media personality Xu Yi and reporter Xu Zexin, the March 2024 Argentina men's national soccer team's trip to China has basically been announced as canceled. Xu Zexin also revealed that news and official announcements regarding the cancelation of the branding contract for Argentina's China trip will be announced soon.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) also announced the suspension of its cooperation with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), including the Argentine national team. This news reveals two things: Messi's absence from the Hong Kong leg has something to do with the Argentinean Football Association, and the Argentinean national team has decided to cancel its trip to China in March. Xu Zexin also revealed that all news about Messi has been deleted from the CFA's official website, and "King" Messi has been completely blocked.
As initially stated, Messi's problems go beyond the sport itself and many of them have risen to the level of China and the nation. Despite the 36-year-old's choice to be "cold and pro-Japanese", he would surely have had more to gain from seeking advice. Over the next few days, I'll reveal them one by one.
