Lionel Messi breaks his silence and addresses Chinese fans: “I have had a very close and special relationship with China,” said the Argentine footballer in a video published Monday evening on the Mandarin social network Weibo, qualifying the speculation of “totally false”. to which he would have missed his Inter Miami match in Hong Kong for political reasons.
The South American star had been accused of wanting to humiliate the former British colony after not showing up for the match when tickets had been sold for up to $600, even more so after his presence at the friendly match a few days later in Tokyo.
“I did a lot of things in China: interviews, matches and events. I also went there and played several times with FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team”; Messi went on to speak in Spanish in the video which included simplified Chinese and English subtitles. He reiterated that this absence was due to inflammation of the leg muscles.
Messi's video is the latest development in a saga that began when tens of thousands of fans were left disappointed because the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner remained on the bench during the February 4 friendly match 'Inter Miami won 4-1 against the local team Hong Kong XI. .
The city's Consumer Council received more than 1,350 complaints from local fans and tourists who came to Hong Kong for the match. Tatler Asia, the event organizer, said it would forgo government subsidies and offer fans a 50% refund on tickets.
Amid the diatribe, the Global Times, China's nationalist People's Daily tabloid, editorialized possible “political reasons” behind Messi's absence on the field, suggesting that outside forces were “deliberately trying to embarrass Hong Kong.” .
The Beijing Football Association subsequently canceled two Argentina friendly matches scheduled for March, against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Ivory Coast in Beijing.
China is home to a growing soccer market, and impassioned President Xi Jinping has expressed hope that the Dragon will become a soccer powerhouse on a global scale.
