Messi posts video to calm fans, Chinese netizens still criticize

On the evening of Feb. 19, football star Lionel Messi posted a video on Weibo with 8.13 million fans, explaining why he didn't play in a friendly match in Hong Kong. The football superstar, born in 1987, explained that his absence from the Hong Kong match was due to physical injury rather than political reasons. Messi said, I have read and heard about the misinformation spread after the tour in Hong Kong. This video is my sincere explanation. I hope everyone will no longer be confused by false rumors. I affirm that I always want to play in every match. People say that I refuse to play for some reason. If that were true, I wouldn't have visited Japan and China multiple times, especially in China, a country with a strong connection to me. I have come here and participated in various activities, such as interviews, football matches, and promotional events. Since my time in Saudi Arabia, I have been suffering from pain. In the second match in the Middle East against Al Nasser, I endured the pain of playing, which worsened the situation. When I arrived in Hong Kong, despite not fully recovering, I continued to train to respond to the cheers of the fans. The day before the match, I felt I was unfit and had to rest. A few days later, I felt better when I arrived in Japan. I wanted to play to prepare physically and regain form for the new season. That's all. There is no other reason. Since the incident in Hong Kong on February 4th, Messi has issued three responses, but has not officially apologized. Chinese fans expressed outrage, saying, This guy turns his back as fast as a magician. He is not worthy of being welcomed. Messi only likes Chinese money. How many times have Messi's fans attacked Ronaldo, considering Messi as family? But now they see who Messi really is, right? Is the public pressure on him too great? Messi think we're fools. Under pressure from sponsors, Messi had to issue an apology. At the end of January and the beginning of February, Inter Miami FC embarked on an Asian tour with stops in Hong Kong and Japan. Messi did not play against the Hong Kong Stars team on February 4th, despite being on the substitute bench. Previously, the organizers had confirmed that the player would participate, which left fans feeling deceived, especially when Messi played in the match against Vissel Kobe in Japan three days later.