Lionel Messi fiasco dubbed ‘diplomatic crisis’, worse than crypto scam as Hong Kong moves through stages of social media grief
- Messi lampooned and lambasted as city absorbs the impact of Inter Miami’s calamitous three-day visit
- Facebook and X users prove rather livelier than Messi had been at the match as they rip into the Argentina star over his no-show
From Lionel Messi’s portrayal as a national security threat to fans suggesting his no-show was a bigger scam than JPEX crypto, there was hyperbole and sarcasm on social media as Hongkongers tried to put Inter Miami’s visit into perspective.
With the US club moving on to Tokyo, the flak continued to fly in their previous port of call, while some tried to raise a smile about the sorry affair.
On Sunday, Messi had warmed the bench for 90 minutes and then refused to address the crowd following Inter Miami’s 4-1 win in an exhibition game against a Hong Kong select.
That was the crescendo of a calamitous weekend that included Messi and the rest of the Inter Miami squad walking away from a welcoming ceremony on Friday, and cutting short an open training session on Saturday.
One fan became an internet meme when he was interviewed by local TV news saying Messi’s failure to even put on a pair of football boots on Sunday was a bigger scam than the JPEX crypto scandal that gripped the city in 2023.
