Explainer | Why did Lionel Messi not play in Hong Kong? What contract said, when government was told, news on ticket refunds
- Argentine World Cup winner’s visit to Hong Kong with his club Inter Miami ended acrimoniously when he did not play in the US team’s match in the city
- The Post examines who knew what and when, and what took place behind the scenes as the saga unfolded
The fallout has begun in Hong Kong after close to 40,000 fans paid to see Lionel Messi play in the city only for the Argentinian not to play.
We assess the questions being asked by football fans and the wider public.
What happened to Messi?
Messi attended the match in Hong Kong between his club Inter Miami and a local invitational team.
He was the main attraction for those who had bought tickets, priced HK$880 to HK$4,880 (US$113 to US$624), and higher still on re-sale sites. But Messi was named in the team only as a substitute, then did not play at all, watching the whole match from the sidelines.
Did Hong Kong have a contract for Messi to play?
At the time, a senior government source disputed this, saying there were “contract terms specifying that Messi would play in the match, save for illness or injury”.
A government source told the Post late on Sunday that the contract stipulated Messi would play for at least 45 minutes unless ill or injured.
Inter Miami said days before the Hong Kong match that Messi had a hamstring injury, and cited it afterwards as the reason he did not play.
Lamuniere said in a Tatler Asia statement on Monday that the contract stated marquee players, including Messi, had to play unless injured.
He said that Miami, by issuing a team sheet listing Messi and Luis Suarez among the substitutes, indicated the pair were “fit to play” and that “accordingly, Tatler Asia had every expectation that both would play”.
When did fans in Hong Kong know Messi would not play?
With no announcement, they were left to work it out for themselves. The end of the match confirmed it, but the boos and chanting had crept in during the second half.
Messi had taken his place on the substitutes’ bench wearing trainers and tracksuit, while every other substitute wore football boots and shorts.
The exercises undertaken by Suarez, the second most famous player, were seemingly just for show, as he too stayed on the sidelines and was revealed afterwards to have been ruled out of playing. Messi never looked close to joining the fray.
Why was Beckham booed in Hong Kong?
The hugely popular David Beckham sparked a frenzy of selfies and high-fives when he appeared before Sunday’s match. Yet by the end, the former footballer and Inter Miami co-owner was left struggling to appease a furious crowd.
Chants of “we want Messi” became “where is Messi?” and were accompanied by booing. At the final whistle, boos drowned out the stadium announcers, while fans chanted “refund, refund”.
With Beckham about to address the stadium, the master of ceremonies asked spectators to “show some respect” and allow him to be heard. There was further booing, and howls of derision as the former England captain thanked Hongkongers for their “incredible welcome”.
When did Hong Kong government know about Messi?
Sources said Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu, who attended the match, had been assured Messi would play.
A source told the Post the government had been informed in the morning that Messi would play and did not hear of any change of plan.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said on Monday that officials were told 10 minutes before the game ended that Messi would not play.
Officials said they asked via the organiser that Messi give a few words of explanation and that Beckham promised to explain and apologise when addressing fans. Neither did so.
Tatler CEO Lamuniere said later on Monday that his organisation had been told at half-time that Messi would not play after all, and immediately told the government. He said Tatler then spent the second half urging Miami officials to arrange for Messi to address fans, to no avail.
The event had been given “M” Mark status by the Major Sports Events Committee, and was awarded HK$15 million (US$1.92 million) in funds for the match and a HK$1 million venue subsidy.
A government statement late on Sunday said the committee would look at “the possibility of deducting sponsorship funds because Messi failed to play”. Yeung said on Monday the funds had not yet been given to the organiser.
Lamuniere’s statement then said Tatler was withdrawing its application for “M” Mark funds.
Who knew Messi was injured, and when?
Miami coach Gerardo Martino said after the Hong Kong match that Messi’s non-involvement was “the decision of the medical team”. Asked precisely when Messi was ruled out, Martino said “we were assessing him with the medical team until [Sunday] morning”.
A Miami spokesperson told the Post that Martino had been mistranslated, and had said it was decided in the afternoon.
Tatler Asia, the organiser, said on Sunday: “Despite some news reports, Tatler did not have any information about the non-participation of Messi or Suarez prior to kick-off. Messi and Suarez were deemed unfit to play by their team’s medical department, to everyone’s, including ours, disappointment.”
Will there be refunds for Messi no-show?
Before Messi, refunds for Ronaldo in China
Messi had played sparingly on this tour, appearing only briefly at the end of Miami’s previous match on February 1.
