Tuesday, February 20, 2024 – 15:10 WIB
Hong Kong – Lionel Messi denies his absence in a friendly match in Hong Kong two weeks ago as an insult to China, which was indeed angered by Messi’s absence.
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Instead, Messi stated that his absence in the match was due to an injury he suffered.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is idolized by his fans in China, but he remained on the bench as Inter Miami won 4-1 against Select XI Hong Kong in a pre-season tour match on February 4.
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Around 40,000 spectators who had paid tickets worth more than 1,000 Hong Kong dollars (Rp1.9 million) to see the 36-year-old superstar in action, simultaneously shouted “refund!” to request a refund of their ticket money.
They also thumbs down and mocked Messi and one of the owners of Inter Miami, David Beckham, as the final whistle was blown by the referee.
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Some nationalist politicians interpreted Messi’s absence as an insult to China, even though the Argentine legend appeared fit and played for 30 minutes in a friendly match a few days later in Japan.
In a video posted on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, Monday night, the captain of the Argentine National Team who won the 2022 World Cup rejected allegations that his absence on the field was “for political reasons.”
Messi stated that if that was the case, he would never go to Hong Kong.
\”As everyone knows, I always want to play and be in every match,\” Messi said.
Messi claimed to have a very good and close relationship with China, which he said has done a lot of things.
He argued that at that time he was suffering from a muscle strain adductor injury. His fans on Weibo immediately responded to Messi’s message conveyed through the video post. Some of them supported Messi.
\”I am sure that this player whom I have always loved will never look at his fans with any prejudice,\” wrote one Weibo user.
\”I don’t understand how the greatest footballer of all time can be humiliated online to the point of being considered not loving China just because he missed a friendly match,\” wrote another fan.
But there are also those who are dissatisfied. \”Rest, go to China, and drink sewage water,\” wrote a netizen as quoted by AFP on Tuesday.
Last June, Messi became a star when Argentina defeated Australia in Beijing in a friendly match by scoring a goal in the early minutes in front of praising spectators.
Argentina’s friendly match against Nigeria in Hangzhou next month and the African Cup champion Ivory Coast in Beijing were canceled after Messi failed to play in Hong Kong, according to AFP. (Ant)
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In a video posted on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, Monday night, the captain of the Argentine National Team who won the 2022 World Cup rejected allegations that his absence on the field “for political reasons.”