Lionel Messi faces backlash for no-show at the inter-Miami game and Falklands taunts

Chinese football fans have criticized Lionel Messi for missing an exhibition game in Hong Kong with Inter Miami, and have taken to social media to taunt him over the Falkland Islands issue.

The Argentine football legend was expected to play for Inter Miami in the Hong Kong exhibition match earlier this month but did not appear. Club officials cited a hamstring injury, but Messi later played in a game in China, which led to fans questioning the sincerity of his injury.

Angered by Messi’s absence, fans in mainland China expressed their support for Britain’s claim to the Falklands on social media platform Weibo, using terminology similar to China’s claim over Taiwan. Some fans called Messi a “thief,” suggesting that his numerous Ballon d’Or awards were undeserved.

One user on Weibo stated, “The fact that the islands belong to Britain is beyond doubt. Messi is a thief. All his Ballon d’Or awards were stolen.”

Another user referred to the Falklands in Spanish as the Malvinas Islands, asserting, “The Malvinas Islands are part of the UK. They were before, they are now, and of course, they will always be in the future.”

The backlash from Chinese fans highlights the sensitivity of territorial issues and the strong emotions they can evoke, even in the context of sports. Messi’s absence from the exhibition game has clearly struck a nerve among some football enthusiasts in China.