Lionel Messi Insists Hong Kong No-Show Was Due To Injury, Not Politics

Argentine football star Lionel Messi insisted on Monday that his absence from a match in Hong Kong two weeks ago that drew the ire of spectators was not a snub but prompted by injury. In a video posted on China's Weibo social media platform, Messi rejected chatter that his no-show was "for political reasons" and said if this had been the case, "I would not have traveled" to Hong Kong in the first place. "As everyone knows, I always want to play and be in every game," he said.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner stayed on the bench throughout Inter Miami's 4-1 win against a Hong Kong select XI on February 4.

His no-show drew boos and calls for refunds from thousands of fans who had shelled out large sums to see the World Cup-winning captain play in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous Chinese territory.