A crowd of nearly 40,000 fans filled the Hong Kong Stadium, many of whom had paid premium prices for tickets, or exorbitant sums for scalped ones, eagerly anticipating watching Messi’s performance. Instead, they were not just disappointed but deeply hurt by his behaviour during the match, with the star seeming glum and disengaged throughout.

These vivid images of his demeanour in Hong Kong are in stark contrast with his manner during the friendly game against Vissel Kobe in Japan on Wednesday, where he was seen smiling and waving at fans.

In a post on Weibo before the Japan match, Messi explained the situation to his Hong Kong fans, citing swelling and discomfort as the reasons for not being able to play in the city. However, this explanation now appears untrue to many, a strategic move to pave the way for his appearance in the Japan game.

Messi gives glimpse of star quality but Inter Miami lose on penalties in Japan

However, there are a few points I would like to address.

In addition to being labelled as the “scam of the century”, we can also consider it a “PR disaster of the century”.

For instance, before tensions escalated, David Beckham, as the co-owner of Inter Miami, could have taken more steps to appease the crowd. As a football legend himself, he could have symbolically joined the match by removing his jacket, rolling up his sleeves, and taking part, even if only for a few minutes.

It would have been a friendly gesture and could have served as an indirect apology and compensation to the fans, using one legend to fill the shoes of another. Since it was not a competitive match, it should have been acceptable.

By doing so, he might have avoided the embarrassment of being booed by furious fans during his attempt to address them.

Many fans remain sceptical of the health reasons provided to explain why Messi was benched for the entire Hong Kong match, and it is still puzzling why he behaved differently in Hong Kong compared with Japan. Notably, at the end of the match in Hong Kong, he didn’t even address the crowd, and stood at the back during the photo session.

Furthermore, it raises questions as to why he only addressed these issues after leaving Hong Kong.

Despite all that, Hongkongers should take pride in the fact that there were no reports of physical violence or damage at the venue, apart from some angry words and expletives directed at Messi and Beckham, and one decapitated picture board. If this incident had occurred elsewhere, it might not have been as peaceful.

It was remarkable to see Hong Kong fans, including those with young children and families, leaving the stadium in an orderly manner despite feeling overwhelmed by anger, sadness and frustration.

While some critics argue that this incident has tarnished Hong Kong’s international image, I believe it instead highlighted the civilised behaviour and high quality of Hong Kong fans.

There have been questions raised as to why Messi failed to play, with some suggesting that it may have been due to the city not being a major market for Inter Miami or the Argentine footballer.

Even if this was the reason, it is still puzzling to see Messi behave in such a way, especially considering his reputation for being warm to his loyal fans. It is worth noting that during his stay in Hong Kong, he reportedly instructed his staff to collect football shirts from fans waiting outside the hotel so that he could sign them as souvenirs.

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I don’t think we will ever discover the true reasons behind this disaster, but surprisingly, it may have a silver lining. Its occurrence allows the city to learn a colossal lesson before kick-starting roughly 80 “mega events” over the next six months, aiming to entice tourists back.

The Messi debacle epitomises major shortcomings and mistakes that we must learn from to prevent similar catastrophic occurrences in the future.

Hong Kong possesses tremendous potential for successfully hosting mega events and attracting tourists. Nevertheless, the government must first scrutinise and derive lessons from this fiasco, transforming its mindset and recognising that hosting mega events successfully is about quality rather than quantity. So, maybe having 80 for the first half of the year is a bit overambitious.

It would help to have a dedicated specialist from outside the government who is solely responsible for organising mega events in Hong Kong. We need expertise and experience to ensure meticulous planning, coordination and execution, and that event organisers are effectively screened, helping us avoid using those without sufficient qualifications.

Finally, here’s some food for thought. Julius Winfield Erving, an American former professional basketball player, once stated: “I firmly believe that respect is a lot more important, and a lot greater, than popularity.”

Luisa Tam is a Post editor who also hosts video tutorials on Cantonese language that are now part of Cathay Pacific’s in-flight entertainment programme