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