An announcement from the Hangzhou Sports Bureau announced the cancellation of the Argentine team's trip to Hangzhou scheduled for March. The conditions for holding the event are not ripe, and this seemingly insipid reason has aroused widespread attention in the details. And all this seems to be closely related to the "debut" incident, and Messi, the football superstar, has become the center of this turmoil.
Argentina were scheduled to play a friendly match against Nigeria at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium and another friendly against Ivory Coast at the Beijing Workers' Stadium. However, reality has brutally changed everything. Even if the Argentine team's trip to Hangzhou is carried out normally, basically no one will pay for it, because Messi has completely broken the hearts of domestic fans.
Messi's "debut" incident has caused huge waves in the domestic football circle, which not only aroused the anger of fans, but also directly affected the image and commercial interests of the Argentine team. The Hangzhou Municipal Sports Bureau may not have said "debut" in the announcement, but this incident has become the self-evident reason for the cancellation of the Argentine team's trip to Hangzhou.
The loss of the Argentine team this time is not small, it is reported that the loss is as high as 36 million yuan! In June 2023, the Argentine team played a friendly match with the Australian team at the Beijing Workers Stadium, and the organizers earned 30 million yuan. This time, the Argentine team's appearance fee was as high as 5 million US dollars, equivalent to about 36 million yuan, which directly became part of the loss of the Argentine team.
What's more, the income that the Argentine team could have earned from ticket sharing, broadcasting and commerce was also wiped out overnight. Messi's "debut" incident has dealt an unprecedented blow to this South American football powerhouse, and it has suffered huge losses both commercially and in terms of image.
The cancellation also meant that Argentina lost their chances against Nigeria and Ivory Coast, and fans were unable to witness the fierce clash between the two powerhouses. More importantly, the whole incident highlights the importance of Messi's popularity and influence in China to Argentine football. One of his appearances took a heavy toll on the entire team.
Perhaps, this turmoil is also a profound lesson for Messi. Football is not only a sport, but also an art and an expression of culture. The image of a star is not only shaped by their performance on the pitch, but also needs to be wise and cautious in life, because their words and deeds will become the basis for influencing the fans and society to evaluate them.
In general, the cancellation of the Argentine team's trip to Hangzhou is not only a miscarriage of a game, but also a collision and reflection of football culture. Messi's "debut" incident has made fans think deeply that the behavior of a star is not only about individuals, but also about the entire team and the image of national football. I hope that this lesson can make Messi and the Argentine team know more about how to keep the honor of football in front of the public and become real heroes in the hearts of the majority of fans.