After three days of lavish celebration in Hong Kong, supporters of Lionel Messi were left devastated when the Argentine star did not feature in Inter Miami’s 4-1 victory over a local league XI in a preseason friendly.
Chants of ‘we want Messi’ rose around the stadium while disappointed fans said they felt cheated by the organisers.
After Messi rested on the bench during Sunday’s encounter, fans screamed “refund,” and the Hong Kong government stated that match organizers Tatler Asia may lose financing.
With a hamstring issue, the World Cup-winning captain remained confined to the sidelines the whole match. The nearly full house of 38,323 people, many of whom had paid up to $1,000 Hong Kong dollars ($125) or more to witness their hero, were visibly upset.
Chants of “we want Messi” erupted around Hong Kong Stadium halfway through the second half, as supporters eager to witness one of the greatest football players of all time play in the highly anticipated exhibition match.
When it became apparent that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner would not make even the smallest of cameos over the final ten minutes, the jeers grew louder.
At the last whistle, the jeers intensified, and Miami co-owner
The government said in a statement that the Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) had awarded 15 million Hong Kong dollars ($1.92m) for the event in addition to a grant of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,854) for the venue.
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