HONG KONG (AP) — The organizer of a much-hyped soccer match that intended to showcase Lionel Messi in Hong Kong said Friday it would offer a 50% refund following days of backlash from angry fans and the government over the absence of the World Cup winner.
The grievances from Hong Kong fans stemming from Messi staying on the bench for the full 90 minutes in the game against a local team due to a groin injury earlier this week has spread to mainland China after the Argentina star put in a 30-minute game appearance in Tokyo in Inter Miami’s latest exhibition match in Asia on Wednesday.
Over the past two days, many social media users in mainland China expressed their disappointment over Messi’s no-show, with China’s state-run newspaper, the Global Times, publishing an editorial that said the impact of the controversy surrounding the football star “has far exceeded the realm of sports.”
In an Instagram post on Friday, local organizer Tatler Asia apologized to those who were disappointed by the match and said it was upset by “the seeming lack of respect shown to the crowd.”