The absence of Lionel Messi in a friendly in Hong Kong and his participation three days later in another in Japan aggravated the anger of Internet users and Chinese media, who accuse the Argentine star of maneuvering against Beijing.
The captain of the world champion albiceleste was loudly whistled and booed on Sunday in Hong Kong after not participating in a preseason match for Inter Miami, citing an injury.
The fans, who had paid up to HK$4,800 (US$500), demanded a refund of their tickets and silenced the club’s co-owner David Bekcham’s thank-you speech.
Just three days later, the ’10’ played half an hour of a friendly in Japan, further inflaming the Chinese fans, who felt singled out.
On Friday, Tatler Asia, the organizer of the event, said it was “deeply sorry” and promised those who bought tickets a 50% refund.
“The Hong Kong match was the only one of Messi’s six preseason friendly matches in which he was absent.“, highlighted in an editorial the influential nationalist tabloid Global Times, which questions “the integrity of Inter Miami and Messi”.
“Messi and Inter Miami cannot leave it like this, disdaining the fans and public opinion. “Messi is not only a player, but also a public figure,” he states.
“If there are errors or violations in its integrity, the attention surrounding it will cause a huge adverse reaction”says the tabloid.
The article recalls that the Argentine national team has two matches scheduled in China in March, less than a year after a visit by the albiceleste to Beijing in which important advertising contracts were closed.
“It is expected that [Messi] give a reasonable explanation before that date”said the Global Times.
In its editorial, the newspaper goes so far as to suggest that sinister foreign forces have conspired to damage the reputation of this semi-autonomous Chinese city.
“Calculated contempt”
Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous government sought explanations from match organizers, who waived public funding for the event and said they had received repeated assurances of Messi’s participation.
The player from Rosario stated that his absence in Hong Kong was “bad luck” and that he hopes to be able to return to the city.
But a senior advisor to the local government, Regina Ip, replied that Messi “should never be allowed to return”.
“The population of Hong Kong hates Messi, Inter Miami and the black hand behind them for the deliberate and calculated contempt for Hong Kong”, he assured on the social network X.
“Their lies and hypocrisy are disgusting”he added.
In mainland China, from where many fans traveled for the Hong Kong match, Messi was a trend all week on the social network Weibo.
A post on the footballer’s account in which he regretted not having been able to play received a cascade of sarcastic comments and memes in response.
Some showed Messi wearing the clothing of Japan’s imperial soldiers, in reference to the star’s participation in the Tokyo match.
“Messi is very unfriendly and arrogant, which is really annoying”said one user.
The issue is sensitive: Hong Kong actress Samantha Ko Hoi-ling had to apologize on the platform after declaring to local media that she understood Messi’s absence in Hong Kong.
Hu Xijin, a prominent nationalist editorialist, called on netizens to express criticism “measures not to raise their status”.
“Nor that a lazy manifestation of his could affect our great nation and hurt the feelings of our entire society.“, he claimed.
Source: Gestion
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