The Hong Kong government expressed disappointment after Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami forward, did not participate in a friendly match against the local team SCMP. The absence surprised observers and left officials questioning how the event would unfold without one of the sport’s biggest stars on the field.
According to the terms of Messi’s contract for the engagement, he was expected to play a 45 minute stint. Yet, he remained on the bench as the game unfolded. Financial details tied to the event showed a grant of 1.9 million dollars allocated to hosting the match and an additional 128 thousand dollars earmarked for the stadium where the game took place, highlighting the scale of investment in bringing high profile football to the region.
On February 4, spectators in Hong Kong witnessed a friendly where the hosts faced Inter Miami and ultimately lost with a scoreline of 1 to 4. The absence of Messi from the field spurred a chorus among fans who vocally requested refunds for their tickets during the match, a sign of the strong expectations carried by supporters during high profile fixtures.
Midway through the second half, supporters intensified their chants, demanding Messi with increasing urgency. After the final whistle, Inter Miami owner David Beckham acknowledged the fans in attendance, even as some voices in the stadium continued to express their discontent. The event drew an audience of roughly 38 thousand people, underscoring the broad appeal of the occasion in the region.
Messi had arrived in Major League Soccer after a two year spell with Paris Saint-Germain. He completed his transfer to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, marking a new chapter in his career in North American football. In August of that year, Messi helped Inter Miami win the League Cup, securing a trophy that represented the club’s early successes in the U.S. league system and signaling the club’s growing ambitions on the international stage.
Despite the spectacle surrounding the match, the situation drew attention to the broader health and readiness concerns often discussed around international star players. Messi demonstrated consistent fitness, and his health was not reported as a contributing factor to his non-participation in this particular fixture. The episode illustrated the complex interplay between contractual commitments, audience expectations, and the logistics of staging high profile friendlies across continents.
In the weeks following the event, organizers and stakeholders reviewed the logistics and agreements that shaped the visit. The discussions touched on compensation, broadcast rights, and the management of fan expectations when marquee players are unable to participate due to schedule constraints or strategic decisions. The episode added to the ongoing narrative of how global football events are arranged and perceived by fans in major markets such as Canada and the United States, where interest in Messi and his club continues to run high.
Ultimately, the event stood as a notable moment in the broader story of Messi’s influence in North American football, illustrating both the magnetic pull of his name and the challenges of delivering fully realized appearances on a global stage. The surrounding coverage emphasized not only the on field outcomes but also the economic and cultural impact of star players in international friendlies and the evolving relationship between clubs, leagues, and their devoted audiences.