Lionel Messi, a famous soccer player from Argentina, apologized on Tuesday for missing out on a friendly match in Hong Kong.
Fans were incensed when Messi, who plays for the Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, did not enter the field during Sunday’s match against a Hong Kong XI.
I couldn’t be in the Hong Kong game and it’s a shame because I always want to participate, I want to be there, especially when it’s about these types of games that we travel so far and that people are so excited to see our games,” Messi told reporters.The 36-year-old’s huge popularity has had fans clamoring to watch Inter Miami’s games during the team’s preseason tour.
A sellout crowd of 40,000 attended the match in Hong Kong, but the occasion ended acrimoniously when fans booed, jeered and called for ticket refunds as Messi remained on the bench.
Even the Hong Kong government said it was “disappointed” that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner wasn’t brought on during the match.
Miami manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino later explained that both Messi and former Barça teammate Luis Suárez had remained on the bench following advice from medical staff.As part of their preseason tour, Inter Miami is now in Tokyo and will take against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday.
Messi said that he could see why some fans were disappointed that he had missed the game, but he also voiced the hope that Miami will visit Hong Kong once more in the future.
The striker responded, “To be honest, I still don’t know if I can or not, but I feel much better and I really want to be able to do it,” when asked if he would be playing in the game against Vissel Kobe.