# @vicenews on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C3IY0_Wv8jK
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/34448829-vicenews-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/1a129cf717.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-02-09T15:03:14.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** VICE News (@vicenews) — https://gondola.cc/vicenews

## Caption

Lionel Messi, one of the most highly-regarded sports figures in the world is facing a backlash after missing a pre-season friendly match in Hong Kong, but participating in a game in Japan just days later. 

Fans have been sharing videos destroying the Argentinian star’s soccer/football jersey on Chinese social media—by cutting it up with scissors, throwing it in the trash, and even lighting it on fire.

Messi, who sat out the Hong Kong match after being deemed “unfit” to play on Sunday, suited up and stepped onto the pitch in the 60th minute in the friendly against Japan this Wednesday. It led many on Chinese social media to sarcastically trend the phrase “medical miracle” over a million times in skepticism of his sudden recovery.

“Why didn’t Messi play in Hong Kong or participate in the handshake with HK (the Hong Kong) chief executive? And why did he smile, run freely and looked fit in Japan?” Chinese state media  journalist Hu Xijin wrote. 

Hong Kong’s government also said that he, as well as the Inter Miami team as a whole, owed fans an “explanation.” 

Following the uproar, Messi shared a statement on his own Weibo account: “Anyone who knows me knows that I always want to play … especially in these games where we travel so far and people are excited to see our games. Hopefully we can come back and play a game in Hong Kong.”

#china #messi #hongkong #japan #intermiami #hk #lionelmessi10 #lionelmessi #messifans #messi10

## Stats

- **Views:** 271,211
- **Likes:** 7,775
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 630

## Tags

china, intermiami, hk, messifans, messi10, lionelmessi10, hongkong, japan, messi, lionelmessi

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