‘Messi, even you’ Fans angry at Hong Kong friendly match 'no-show' "Refund ticket price"

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), the 'god of soccer', did not appear in a friendly match against the Hong Kong League All-Star team on the 4th (local time), with only his name listed on the candidate list, causing dissatisfaction from fans.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on this day, Messi's team, Intern Miami, defeated the Hong Kong League All-Star team 4-1.

Messi only did some stretching in public training the day before (the 3rd), but did not play that day and stayed on the bench. When the game ended, loud boos rang out in the Hong Kong Stadium.

Intern Miami team owner David Beckham made a speech to express his gratitude, but the crowd's boos grew louder.

Tickets for the game on this day were sold out within an hour of going on sale as news spread that Messi would play. Ticket prices are set at 880 to 4,880 Hong Kong dollars (about 140,000 to 810,000 won).

Anthony Osage, who spent 3,600 Hong Kong dollars (about 610,000 won) on a ticket that day to see Messi, raised his voice and said, “People didn’t just pay to see him sitting.”

The last time Messi played in Hong Kong was in a friendly with the Argentina national team in 2014.

In a statement released through social media, the Hong Kong government said, "The government and all soccer fans are extremely disappointed with the organizers' actions regarding Messi's absence from today's match." “There is a duty to explain,” he wrote.

He added, “The Major Sports Events Committee will follow up with the organizers in accordance with the terms of the contract, including the possibility of deduction of sponsorship fees due to Messi’s failure to play.”

Tatler Asia, which hosted this event, was granted an 'M Mark' rating by the Sports Commission and provided HK$15 million (approximately KRW 2.56 billion) in match funds and HK$1 million (approximately KRW 170 million) in stadium subsidies. received. 19가이드03