The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Lionel Messi farce enrages Hong Kong, but there’s a more important match on Wednesday, city’s coach says

Hong Kong goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai says ‘not playing against Messi was disappointing’ after Argentinian sat out Inter Miami’s 4-1 win

But home coach Jorn Andersen has other priorities, including a fixture three days later

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The non-involvement of Lionel Messi (right, with his bodyguard) disappointed most of those present. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 7:45am, 5 Feb 2024

Perhaps only one person involved in Sunday’s exhibition match between a Hong Kong XI and Inter Miami was not measuring its success in degrees of Lionel Messi.

The supporters who filled Hong Kong Stadium created a tremendous prematch atmosphere before switching to disenchantment as it became clear that Messi, the man they had paid to see, would not be playing in a game that the visitors won 4-1.

But Jorn Andersen, the Hong Kong national team coach who took charge of Miami’s opponents, had other yardsticks besides the Argentine World Cup winner’s part in proceedings. One was how the city’s players compared with counterparts from the United States, and another was their readiness for another challenge this week.

“From our side, I focus on nothing apart from my team,” Andersen said. “We played against Inter Miami, and I have no comment about what happened in their team.”

Goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai was among the Hong Kong players hoping to share a pitch with Messi. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong goalkeeper Yapp Hung-fai, who played the opening 45 minutes, tentatively addressed the subject on everyone’s minds, saying “not playing against Messi was disappointing”. But he added: “It was a good opportunity to experience [Miami’s] intensity, speed and physical strength, and we hope to improve.”

Andersen was open last week about the game’s positioning in his list of priorities, insisting a positive result in the second leg of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup on Wednesday was “more important” than Sunday’s outcome, while admitting that the public cared only about seeing Messi.