Could Lionel Messi video open door to return to China? Social media hostility remains
- Video shows Argentinian citing his ‘very close and special relationship with China’, but plenty respond saying he is not welcome
- Argentina are scrambling to arrange friendly matches in March after a pair of games scheduled in mainland China were cancelled
A video posted on Chinese social media by Lionel Messi to explain his infamous Hong Kong no-show has prompted speculation over whether he could yet play in China for Argentina next month as originally scheduled.
With anger at boiling point in the days after Messi watched from the bench as Inter Miami beat a local select at Hong Kong Stadium this month, a pair of Argentina friendly matches due to take place in mainland China in March were cancelled by the host nation.
There has been speculation that the Argentine FA could yet try to repair relations in time to revive their planned matches against Nigeria and Ivory Coast, in Hangzhou and Beijing respectively. Other reports, however, indicate the world champions will arrange a pair of fixtures in the United States on roughly the same dates.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni’s team are preparing for this summer’s Copa America in the US. A source indicated to the Post that administrators were under pressure to find a solution for the March international window.
Messi previously played, and scored, for Argentina in a friendly victory over Australia in Beijing last June, in what was the 36-year-old’s seventh visit to China.
