Lionel Messi, heavily criticized for not coming on during a friendly match in Hong Kong, rejects any political act

In China, the controversy surrounding Lionel Messi never ends. It started in Hong Kong on February 4, during a friendly match between the Inter Miami club and a Hong Kong team. Messi remained on the bench, provoking the fury of the many fans who came especially for the occasion. But the controversy even took a political turn. To try to relieve the pressure, the former PSG striker published a video on Monday evening February 19 specially intended for Chinese territory.

During this friendly match in Hong Kong, the Argentine world champion not only remained on the sidelines, but had not shown any real empathy for his fans who came in their hundreds and who had paid nearly 600 euros to attend to the meeting. Faced with anger, the organizers were forced to reimburse all spectators. The Chinese nationalists seized the opportunity, suggesting that Messi wanted, through his gesture, to denounce China’s management of Hong Kong. The footballer is then the target of a very hostile campaign on social networks.

“I have very special ties with China”

In a few days, the icon of FC Barcelona and Argentina went from star status adored in China to sworn enemy. Result: Messi reacts by posting a video on the Chinese social network Weibo. In it, he explains that a health problem prevented him from playing and denies any political act. “I heard that I didn’t want to play for political reasons and many other excuses which are completely false. If that had been the case, I would never have visited China as many times as I did. “have done since the beginning of my career. I have very close and very special ties with China”, declares the Argentinian in this sequence.

But some fans are now calling on Messi to issue a formal apology. Chinese authorities canceled Argentina’s two friendly matches scheduled for March, in Beijing against Ivory Coast and in Hangzhou against Nigeria.