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Lionel Messi fans Ada Kam (left) and Sam Lau show their dissatisfaction before Miami’s departure from their hotel. Photo: Elson Li
SportFootball

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami told ‘get out of Hong Kong’ as fans warn Japan risks heartbreak next

  • US club look forward to the next leg of their tour as they fly to Tokyo, but resentment lingers in Hong Kong after fans were denied a chance to see Messi play
  • Some people argue Messi should not play in Tokyo either, out of fairness, while others tell Japanese spectators to expect a scam
Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA)
Mike Chan
Mike Chan
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Angry football fans besieged Inter Miami’s social media as the American club headed from Hong Kong to Tokyo, with some warning Japanese counterparts that they too may face disappointment.

Amid the commotion over the non-appearance of star player Lionel Messi in their match in Hong Kong the previous day, Miami’s post on X (formerly Twitter) about the next stop of their preseason tour was met with a wave of hostility.

It was swamped with over 240 comments in just the first three hours on Monday, with fans calling the jaunt a “scam”.

“Scammer team, overcharge to watch your B team play,” an X user wrote. Another had some advice for Japanese spectators: “Inter Miami is the biggest football scam to fool fans to pay crazy prices to see Messi but don’t even let him play.”

Messi (back, centre) did not play in Hong Kong as fans had to make do with his lesser-known teammates. Photo: AP

Miami are scheduled to play Japanese J1 League champions Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Some people argued Messi should not play in Japan either, out of fairness, while one hoped the Argentinian would play in the Tokyo leg, so that there were not more victims.

“Messi and Beckham have a lot of supporters in Hong Kong and mainland China – not any more,” an X user from Hong Kong replied, while a Messi fan from the mainland called the club owners “disgusting” and urged them never to return.

Miami’s Instagram account received blistering feedback, too, when it posted footage of the Hong Kong match.

“Stop using Messi’s name to sell tickets and lie to the fans that he will play, it’s hurting Leo himself, enough is enough, it’s been done too many times,” one person replied.

Another person was more blunt: “Get out of Hong Kong.”

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