- Miami wins 4-1 in the Hong Kong friendly.
- Lionel Messi sits out with injuries.
- Messi is expected to play in the next match.
Inter Miami secured a quick 4-1 win in a friendly match against Hong Kong XI, although the off-pitch events didn’t go as smoothly for the MLS team.
Lionel Messi, who was anticipated to participate in the game, remained on the bench for the entire match, much to the disappointment of the local fans.
The upset crowd couldn’t contain their emotions and vented their frustration on the visiting team and their co-owner, the renowned footballer David Beckham, demanding a refund.
Throughout the match, Beckham and his team were subjected to boos from the disgruntled fans who had filled the stadium to watch the 2022 World Cup champion.
Messi, the player whom most of the 40,000 spectators had paid a hefty sum to watch, was dealing with a hamstring injury and stayed on the bench as an unused substitute.
Beckham’s post-match attempt to address the crowd was met with more boos, causing many to leave the stadium.
Despite being widely considered the greatest player in the history of football, Messi only participated in an open training session on Saturday, which attracted tens of thousands of spectators. However, the 36-year-old rested on Sunday, much to the disappointment of the fans.
Local celebrities G.E.M, Gareth T, and Mirror member Keung To entertained a crowd that included the city’s leader John Lee earlier in the day, but the event concluded on a bitter note.
Goals from Robert Taylor, Lawson Connery Sunderland, Leonardo Campana, and Ryan Sailor led the MLS team to their first victory since September 2023.
While Messi didn’t participate in the game, his teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba saw some action in the second half.
Inter Miami is now set to play against Vissel Kobe in their next club friendly on February 7, where Messi is expected to participate.
