On the afternoon of February 4, Miami International and Hong Kong played a high-profile friendly match in Hong Kong. As a superstar in professional football, Messi's arrival attracted about 40,000 fans to the stadium. However, the fans' expectations eventually turned into disappointment as Messi did not take the game. The situation caused discontent among the fans, and Messi refused to accept the award after the game, further adding to the anger of the fans. In the face of this incident, Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee and Hong Kong Sports Federation & Olympic Committee Vice President Fok Qigang spoke out one after another, expressing their disappointment and anger at Messi's failure to participate.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee expressed extreme disappointment that Messi did not participate in the competition and asked the organizers to do a good job of explaining the incident. The SAR hopes that the organizers can actively respond to the demands of the fans and give a detailed explanation of the incident. At the same time, Huo Qigang posted a long post on his personal Weibo, expressing regret for the team's careful arrangements for the game. He called for a suitable solution to be found that would give fans, tourists and Hong Kong citizens a reasonable explanation and show due respect.
Regrettably, in order to ensure the smooth running of this competition, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region** has provided about HK$16 million in support to the organizers. Kevin Yeung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR**), revealed that the HKSAR** clearly stipulates in the co-sponsorship contract that Messi must play at least 45 minutes, unless there are safety or health problems. However, before the start of the game, the organizers also confirmed that Messi would be on the second half, but in fact did not fulfill his promise. When the organisers reconfirmed that Messi would not be able to play, the SAR took a series of remedial measures, including an offer to allow Messi to meet the fans and receive the award on behalf of the team, but they were all refused. In response to the attitude of the organisers, the HKSAR** immediately requested to withdraw the subsidy application for the event.
Although Messi has remained silent, he responded for the first time at a press conference in Japan on February 6 that he did not play in an exhibition match in Hong Kong. He expressed his hope to have the opportunity to come to Hong Kong again and participate in the competition in the future. At the press conference, Messi expressed his anticipation for the tournament: "It is a pleasure to be able to come to Japan with Inter Miami. I'm going to test my form in training today and I don't know if I'll be able to play tomorrow. He also revealed that during the Saudi match, he felt some problems with his adductor muscles, and although the MRI results showed that he was not injured, he was still not feeling well.
The controversial friendly not only sparked discontent and anger among fans, but also sparked a public debate about the responsibility of the stars to participate. As a representative figure in global football, Messi has a high influence and popularity both on and off the field. His every action and statement will be widely noticed, and for the fans, his attitude towards the competition is not only a matter of top athletes, but also a matter of respect and care for the fans. As a result, Messi's behavior during the Hong Kong exhibition match was questioned whether his words and deeds were inconsistent and whether he did not respect the fans and the organizers enough.
Fans love and love their stars for granted, and they are full of anticipation and longing to see their idols on the field. However, as stars, they also have to take on certain social responsibilities, including respecting the fans, respecting the organizers, and maintaining the fairness and dignity of the game. In this Hong Kong friendly match, the rights and interests of the fans were ignored, and they felt let down and hurt, which undoubtedly caused a certain rift in the relationship between the fans and the stars.
However, as fans, we also need to look at this incident calmly. Whether it is Messi or other stars, they are also human beings, and they will also face various factors to consider and influence. The pressures and expectations on them are enormous, and sometimes they may need some time to rest and adjust. For athletes, being in good physical condition is fundamental to being able to perform well consistently, and if you play with injury or discomfort, you can cause more damage to yourself.
To sum up, the fact that Messi was unable to play in the Hong Kong friendly cannot be ignored, and his response also gave fans some comfort. As fans, we can hope for more opportunities to see our idols on the pitch in the future, while also understanding and supporting the difficulties and challenges they face behind becoming superstars. The most important thing is that there should be a good relationship of mutual respect and understanding between fans and stars, so that we can jointly promote the development and prosperity of football.