Messi Avoids Shaking Hands With Hong Kong Chief Executive

Messi was absent from the match against Hong Kong, drawing speculation.

Lionel Messi walks out of the players’ tunnel before the start of the match in Hong Kong on Feb. 4, 2024. Hui Tat/The Epoch Times

Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi avoided shaking hands with John Lee Ka-chiu, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, drawing speculation that he is softly opposing the Hong Kong leader.

Messi, who plays for Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, did not play in the match against Hong Kong United on Feb. 4, incurring boos from a 40,000-strong crowd at Hong Kong Stadium.

The team later explained that Messi had difficulty playing due to injury and would not refund tickets.

“I have always loved Hong Kong and we look forward to coming back one day to entertain you even more ... Thank you for everyone in the stadium that has turned up tonight and been here for us,” David Beckham, who co-owns U.S.-based Inter Miami, said in an address to the crowd after the match, which was drowned out by furious boos.

The Hong Kong authorities also expressed frustration at the soccer legend’s absence.

“Regarding Messi not playing the match today, the Government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed about the organisers’ arrangement. The organiser owes all football fans an explanation,” they said in a statement.

“The MSEC (Major Sports Events Committee) will take follow-up actions with the organiser according to the terms and conditions, which includes reducing the amount of funding as a result of Messi not playing the match.”

Messi Avoids Shaking Hands with John Lee

In the live broadcast of the match on Feb. 4, Messi bypassed the line to shake hands with Hong Kong leader John Lee and stood in the back row of the group photo in an inconspicuous position.

The following day, the team canceled their visit to Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong and went to the airport directly for their next stop, Japan.

After arriving in Japan on Feb. 5, the Argentina World Cup-winning captain was photographed running during a practice session and shooting with his left foot after being passed the ball by his teammates. He also waved and greeted Japanese fans.

In a press conference held in Tokyo on Feb. 6, Messi said it was impossible for him to play in Hong Kong with a groin injury.

“The truth is that it was bad luck that I couldn’t [play] on the day of the Hong Kong match,” he told reporters, adding the “discomfort continued and it was very difficult for me to play.”

“Unfortunately, in football, things can happen in any game that we may have an injury. It’s a shame because I always want to participate. I want to be there, even more so when it comes to these games when we travel so far, and people are so excited to see our matches.”

Scholar: Injury May Be Excuse

Lobo Louie Hung Tak, the Department of Health and Physical Education associate head at the Education University of Hong Kong, told an RTHK program that the injury might have been an excuse.

Prof. Louie said that when a Premier League player is injured, the extent of the injury and how long it will take to recover are shown on the website. Messi did not have an acute injury. He was able to walk, and he did not need crutches, so it was not impossible for him to go out to the field and greet fans.

Hong Kong Public Supports Messi

Hong Kongers’ online comments towards Messi have shifted from negative to positive.

“The football king is not only a good footballer, but also deserves respect for his personal stance,” reads one comment.

“Some people made a wrong calculation and waste their efforts!” reads another.

“I went to the stadium to see Messi play in the stadium. It turned out to be better when he didn’t play in the stadium but made a group of high-ranking officials lose face. This ticket is really good value!”

Messi’s past exchanges with China’s communist regime were also rehashed.

In June 2023, Messi was held up for two hours at the Beijing International Airport on a Spanish passport without a Chinese visa.

While Spain doesn’t have a visa-free entry agreement with China, Spanish passport holders can enter Taiwan without a visa.

Messi reportedly asked Chinese customs staff, “Is Taiwan not China?” According to media reports, the question resulted in an awkward silence, as the customs staff in Beijing couldn’t respond.

Messi was detained at the airport until Chinese officials issued him an expedited visa. The incident has gone viral on Chinese and international social media platforms frequented by Chinese-speaking users.

In stark contrast with the Hong Kong netizens, Chinese netizens vented their anger towards the football king by calling him degrading names and photoshopping posthumous portraits of him.