 The match ended with 4–1 victory for Inter Miami | |||||||
| Event | Tatler XFEST friendly match | ||||||
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| Date | 4 February 2024 | ||||||
| Venue | Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong Island | ||||||
| Attendance | 38,417 | ||||||
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Argentine professional footballer Eponyms and public art Media
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Tatler XFEST Hong Kong, Hong Kong Team vs Inter Miami CF[1] was an exhibition football match between Hong Kong League XI and Inter Miami held in Hong Kong Stadium on 4 February 2024. Inter Miami won the match 4–1, but the no-show of Lionel Messi, Inter Miami's star player, greatly disappointed some ticket buyers and members of the government. The costly and highly publicized match, meant to boost Hong Kong's reputation for hosting major events, became a controversy known as the Messi Mess or Messi's Mess (美斯之亂).[2]
Organizer Tatler Asia, a fashion magazine with no experience in sports events, had been misleading during and after the match about Messi's expected participation and its knowledge of this, and ultimately agreed to a half-refund of the record-setting ticket prices. Messi and Inter Miami stated that he did not participate due to a medical assessment, while certain commentators, state-controlled media and Chinese government officials accused Messi of anti-China sentiment. This stance caused geopolitical tensions across Argentina, China, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States.
- ^ "Government response to media enquiries relating to Tatler XFEST Hong Kong, Hong Kong Team vs Inter Miami CF". Hong Kong Government. 4 February 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ Lu Stout, Kristie [@klustout] (4 February 2024). "From Messi Mania to messy dismay… A no show on the pitch for Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi angered fans in #HongKong who broke out with cheers of "Where is Messi" and "Refund Refund Refund."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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