Argentina Soccer Friendlies in China Cancelled After Lionel Messi No-Show

Argentina was supposed to play two soccer friendlies in China, but these games were canceled after superstar Lionel Messi missed a game in Hong Kong due to an injury he suffered playing for Inter Miami before a match with a local Chinese team.

The match was highly publicized in China, but the Chinese were not happy because the man they came to see, Lionel Messi, was not even playing the game. This led to the cancellations of two Argentina matches, including an international friendly against Ivory Coast in Beijing.

Aside from the Beijing game, the Argentina vs. Nigeria match in Huangzhou was also canceled. These come amid the massive backlash from Chinese fans, according to DW.

"Beijing does not plan, for the moment, to organize the match in which Lionel Messi was to participate," said in a statement, translated from Chinese and released to local media, which previously hyped up what was supposed to be Messi's previous friendly in Hong Kong as a chance for Chinese fans to see the soccer great in action.

When fans saw Messi on the bench and not in uniform, they loudly jeered, with the backlash being louder online as Chinese netizens professed their disappointment at not seeing the World Cup champion in action. The organizers of the match, Tatler Asia, were forced to announce a 50% refund on tickets, with some costing over 5,000 Hong Kong dollars or around US$640.

Lionel Messi Backlash in China Worsened After Argentina Star Played in Japan

A few days later, the backlash in China became louder as Messi was able to come off the substitutes' bench and play the last 30 minutes during a game in Japan, with nationalist Chinese politicians and publications questioning why the Argentinian did not play in Hong Kong.

According to the Associated Press, Messi was listed as having a groin injury during the Inter Miami match against a Chinese select team. However, the fact that he played for 30 minutes against Vissel Kobe at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan just intensified the Chinese backlash.

It was so bad that the term "medical miracle" trended in Chinese social media soon after the Japan game happened, as Chinese fans complained about why Messi would rather play in Japan than in China.

Lionel Messi Could Have Missed MLS Game if Argentina Matches if China Were Not Canceled

If China had not canceled those two Argentina matches against Nigeria in Huangzhou and against Ivory Coast in Beijing, Lionel Messi would have actually been there and missed an MLS game to suit up for his national team, according to ESPN.

The games were scheduled in March, at the same time Inter Miami was supposed to take on the New York Red Bull. The China games against the two African teams were supposed to be in preparation for Messi's farewell tour in an Argentina jersey, which is the 2024 Copa America tournament in the US this June.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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