Messi, Inter Miami tour turns messy. Promoter of Hong Kong game expresses ‘deep regret’

Inter Miami’s preseason world tour, intended to expand the global reach of the team and Major League Soccer with the allure of superstar Lionel Messi, has turned into a messy public relations nightmare as the team prepares for its Wednesday game in Tokyo.

A crowd of 40,000 adoring Messi fans in Hong Kong paid to see their hero and his teammates, but mainly him, play an exhibition match against a local all-star team Sunday morning. A large percentage of them wore Messi No. 10 jerseys. The city was painted in pink. The face of the Argentine legend graced promotional billboards, including on giant pink sails on a boat in Victoria Harbour.

But Messi, hampered by a hip adductor injury, never left the bench Sunday, prompting boos and demands for refunds from irate fans. Fans gave thumbs-down signs, booed as Inter Miami players received a trophy, and drowned out team co-owner David Beckham with jeers as he tried to thank the crowd for its support.

In response to the public outrage, Michel Lamunière, Chairman and CEO of the game promoter Tatler Asia, held a news conference Monday expressing “deep regret” for the Messi situation. He said the gameday roster listed Messi and Luis Suarez as substitutes, raising fans’ expectations they would play. Neither did.

“I am here to make a short statement in response to the public disappointment in Lionel Messi’s non-participation in the Hong Kong team versus Inter Miami game on Sunday,” he began. “Tatler Asia promoted (the game) under a contractual agreement with Inter Miami CF that marquee players Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and any additional highly recognized players that joined the club prior to the game, which applied to Luis Suarez, would play, unless injured.”

Lamuniere said that on Sunday, before kickoff, the official team sheet of players available to play, which was signed by coach Tata Martino, listed Messi and Suarez as substitutes “and therefore, fit to play. Accordingly, Tatler Asia had every expectation that both would play.”

He said that at halftime, when it was communicated by Inter Miami management that there would be no possibility for Messi to play due to an injury, Tatler Asia immediately informed the Hong Kong government, which had committed $2 million to help stage the event.

“Tatler Asia subsequently spent the second half urging the Inter Miami CF leadership to instruct Messi to address the fans to no avail,” Lamuniere said.

He went on to say the promoter had best intentions “and fully understand and share the disappointment of local and overseas fans and stakeholders.” He added that Tatler Asia will withdraw its application for the $2 million government grant.

The Hong Kong government issued a statement Sunday expressing “deep disappointment” over Messi not playing and the handling of the situation.

The statement read: “Many Hong Kong fans looked forward to the match with enthusiasm, and a lot of tourists came to Hong Kong particularly for the match. The Government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed that Messi could neither play in the friendly match, nor explain to the fans in person upon request. The way that the organizer and Inter Miami CF handled the situation could not meet the expectations of the fans.”

Messi spoke to the media in Tokyo on Tuesday morning (late Monday night Miami time) and answered questions about his injury, the situation in Hong Kong and his status for Wednesday’s game vs. Vissel Kobe.

“It was very unfortunate that I was unable to play in Hong Kong,” Messi said. “In the first match in Saudi Arabia I felt discomfort in my (hip) adductor. I tried to play some minutes in the second match to see how I would feel because I had an MRI, which found I had an edema in the adductor, but not an injury, so I tried to play.

“Then we went to Hong Kong and had open training, so I went out because of the number of people who showed up (40,000) and because there was a clinic with children and I wanted to be there and participate. But honestly, the discomfort continued, and it was very difficult for me to play. It is lamentable that in futbol we can get injured at any time. It’s a shame because I always want to participate, especially when we traveled so far and the people were so excited to see us. Hopefully we can return and play another game in Hong Kong, the way I always do when I can. It was a shame.”

As for his availability for Wednesday, Messi said: “We will train Tuesday. I will try it out again. I feel better compared to prior days but in all honesty, I still don’t know if I will be able to play. But I feel much better and am very eager to play.”

Martino explained after the game on Sunday, which Inter Miami won 4-1, how the decision was made to keep Messi and Suarez out of the Hong Kong game. He said that Messi felt hip discomfort during the Saudi Arabia leg of the tour, underwent an MRI, was listed as day to day, did light jogging at training in Hong Kong Saturday, the medical staff reassessed him on Sunday and felt it would be risky for him to play.

Suarez, who has been battling knee issues the past few years, woke up with knee inflammation after the second game in Saudi Arabia and required rest, the coach explained.

Inter Miami is scheduled to play the final match of its tour against Japan’s Vissel Kobe in Tokyo on Wednesday at 5 a.m ET.

The team will then return to South Florida to play its final preseason match Feb. 15 at DRV PNK Stadium against Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys, the hometown team of Messi and Martino. Inter Miami kicks off the MLS regular season Feb. 21 at home against Real Salt Lake.

This story was originally published February 5, 2024 at 12:42 PM.

Michelle Kaufman

Miami Herald

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Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.