Lionel Messi’s highly anticipated appearance in a pre-season friendly match in Hong Kong ended in disappointment for fans and raised concerns about event funding. Scheduled to play for at least 45 minutes on Sunday, Messi was benched due to a hamstring injury, leading to boos and demands for refunds from the crowd.
The Hong Kong Stadium was filled with over 38,000 eager fans and tourists who had paid up to HK$4,880 for tickets to see Messi in action. However, frustration grew as Messi remained on the sidelines during the 4-1 win. The government expressed “disappointment” and warned that it might reclaim HK$16 million of funding allocated to the event, which featured Messi’s first appearance in the city since 2014.
The government criticized event organizer Tatler XFEST Hong Kong and Inter Miami for their handling of the situation, stating that they failed to meet fan expectations. The match, designated as a major international sporting event, received HK$15 million in matching grants and HK$1 million for the venue. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Major Sports Events Committee intend to hold the organizer accountable.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung revealed that the funding agreement stipulated Messi’s participation for at least 45 minutes, subject to fitness and safety considerations. Despite assurances from Tatler Asia that Messi would play in the second half, he did not appear due to injury. The government reiterated its request for Messi to play about 10 minutes before the match ended, but the organizer confirmed that he could not participate.
Efforts to find alternatives, such as having Messi interact with fans and receive the trophy, were unsuccessful. Yeung stated that no payment had been made yet, and the government would evaluate the event’s performance before deciding on funding.
When asked if the government felt it had been “scammed,” Yeung did not provide a direct response, emphasizing the difficulty of predicting player availability due to injuries. Tatler XFEST Hong Kong expressed “extreme disappointment” over Messi’s and another star player Luis Suárez’s non-participation, attributing it to their team’s medical department.
Inter Miami, originally invited to visit the Kai Tak Sports Park on Monday, left the city on Monday afternoon. They promoted their next stop in Tokyo, Japan, for a match against Vissel Kobe. Some fans urged the club to inform them in advance if Messi was not going to play.
(Source: NBC | Time Magazine | The Athletic | HKFP)
