Messi denies political snub was behind Hong Kong no
BEIJING: Lionel Messi denied his absence from a match in Hong Kong two weeks ago that angered China was a political snub, but was caused by an injury. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is idolised by fans in China but stayed on the bench during Inter Miami's 4-1 win in a pre-season tour match against a Hong Kong select XI on February 4. A near 40,000 sellout crowd, who had paid upwards of 1,000 Hong Kong dollars ($125) to see the 36-year-old superstar in action, chanted "Refund!", gave thumbs-down signs and booed Messi and the team's co-owner David Beckham after the final whistle. Some nationalist politicians interpreted Messi's absence as a snub to China after the Argentina great was fit enough to take the field for 30 minutes in a friendly a few days later in Japan. In a video posted on China's Weibo social media platform late on Monday, the World Cup-winning captain rejected claims that his no-show was "for political reasons". If that had been the case, he said, he "would not have travelled" to Hong Kong in the first place. "As everyone knows, I always want to play and be in every game," he said.
Messi spoke in his video of a "very nice and very close" relationship with China, a country with which he said he had "done a lot of things".
His reason for not playing was due to injury, he said, specifically "inflammation of an adductor" muscle.
Fans on Weibo reacted quickly to the video, some in support of Messi.
"I believe the player I have always loved would never look at his fans with any kind of prejudice," wrote one user, adding, "he always values every fan."
"I still can't understand how such a supreme footballer, the greatest of all time, can be pilloried online to the extent that he is considered not to love China just for missing a friendly match," another fan wrote.
Not everyone was appeased.
"Turns out it's still hard to say sorry after all," read one Weibo comment.
"Give it a rest," said another. "Run off to Japan and drink sewage."
Messi starred last June when Argentina beat Australia in Beijing in a friendly, scoring in the opening minutes in front of an adoring crowd.
But next month's Argentina friendlies against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Africa champions Ivory Coast in Beijing were cancelled after Messi failed to play in Hong Kong.
相关推荐
-
Who is the Dark Wizard in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2?
-
“亲水之旅”请到雅安
-
William Barr, broke millennials, and the gig economy’s barriers.
-
'Bonding' Season 2 is a good crash course in BDSM for curious couples
-
Police bust crypto scammer who received plastic surgery to evade arrest
-
Reading Horizons: A new approach for struggling readers
- 最近发表
-
- What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more
- Verstappen commits future to Red Bull in bumper deal
- Ryzen 5000 Memory Performance Guide
- Explainer: L1 vs. L2 vs. L3 Cache
- iPhone 16 Pro new color will reportedly be Desert Titanium
- Display Panel Technology: TN vs. VA vs. IPS
- N. Korean premier sends condolence message to India's prime minister over rail disaster
- Google to pay $3.8 million to underpaid female engineers and overlooked job candidates
- 微视频广东:在推进中国式现代化建设中走在前列
- PGA players want to see Mickelson return: McIlroy
- 随机阅读
-
- Yoon, US Senate's armed service committee chief discuss alliance, N.K. threats
- Moon faces dilemma over Beijing Olympics boycott
- Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip was so fun I didn't want to give it up
- 生态环境部法规司来我市调研环境保护工作
- Wordle today: The answer and hints for August 29
- Joe Biden's latest verbal slip up targets 'Donald Hump'
- Display Panel Technology: TN vs. VA vs. IPS
- Father files FTC complaint against YouTube over video of his daughter's murder
- The Apple iPod: Pocket Music Before That Phone
- Candidates from ‘third party’ meet up, discuss runoff system
- 阳江:农村居民人均可支配收入增速连续三年高于GDP增速
- S. Korea ships 539,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Philippines
- U.S. Senators call on FTC to investigate the security of drivers' data
- Joe Biden's latest verbal slip up targets 'Donald Hump'
- 卡拉的“绿手指”,打造充满生命力的绿美庭院
- Here's Why the Unreal Engine is Coming to Your Car
- How 3D Game Rendering Works: Texturing
- S.Korea develops real
- PGA players want to see Mickelson return: McIlroy
- 全国唯一!增城一荔企获评农安良好追溯监测点
- 搜索
-
- 友情链接
-