Letters | Why Messi struck a nerve in Hong Kong

Readers discuss the Argentinian football star’s failure to play in a match in Hong Kong, and the narrative of the city's naysayers.

Reading Time:2 minutes

Lionel Messi (third from left) watches the match between Inter Miami and the Hong Kong XI from the bench on February 4. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 2:30pm, 16 Feb 2024Updated: 3:29pm, 16 Feb 2024

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I refer to the report, “Messi affair in Hong Kong: no-show Argentine football legend leaves fans furious, sparks calls for refund” (February 4).

Yes, I’m angry. We all are. Who wouldn’t be in our shoes?

Not only did Lionel Messi not play for even a minute, he seemed uninterested throughout the match, walked off while players were shaking hands with Hong Kong’s chief executive and didn’t offer an explanation for why he didn’t play soon after the game. How else would anyone interpret all this except as gestures of contempt?

I understand that the relationship between China and the West has not been good recently, but surely we deserve a little more respect.

Was Messi’s behaviour connected to our political status quo? Or is it that we have become so negligible on the international stage? Are all Asian fans treated the same way, or was it just us? Has there been some misunderstanding or misdealing before the match that we are not aware of?