Lionel Messi’s ‘Bad Reputation’ Spoils Face-Off With Cristiano Ronaldo & Al Nassr In Hong Kong Friendly Tournament

Well, fans were left wanting earlier this year as the highly anticipated ‘Last Dance’ fell apart in front of our eyes. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were expected to be a part of the Riyadh Season Cup. However, the duo picked up an injury heading into the game, ruling them out from the clash. While fans hope to see the two icons clash one last time, it doesn’t seem to be in the making!

According to reports, Hong Kong authorities are keen on inviting Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr back to the nation. Al Nassr’s tour of Hong Kong was cut short this year, with Cristiano picking up a knock right before the games, which forced the team to postpone their plans. Authorities in Hong Kong were quite pleased with how Al Nassr and the organizers handled business and want to hold the team this summer.

However, the same cannot be said for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. The Herons despite advertising Lionel Messi for their match against Hong Kong, failed to field the Argentine, much to the dismay of the fans. What hurt the fans more was the team’s decision to field the player against Vissel Kobe, just two days later. It seems like Hong Kong authorities are not over the incident with higher-ups claiming that the team will not receive any priority for a booking during the pre-season.

No love lost for Lionel Messi as Hong Kong welcomes Cristiano Ronaldo with open arms

Hong Kong Football Association president Pui Kwan-kay touched on pre-season tournaments in the nation during a recent event. Kwan-kay in his address seemed very friendly when it comes to Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr with the association more than happy to see the team return to the country. Kwan-kay stated, “I don’t know if Al Nassr is returning to China, but [bringing Ronaldo to Hong Kong] is a good idea because he’s one of the most popular players.”

However, when asked about the prospect of inviting Lionel Messi back to the country, the HK Football Association president had some strict words. Kwan-kay claimed, “Personally, it’s not appropriate to ask for Messi at this moment. Messi and his team will not be given any priority.”

It seems like no one in Hong Kong is over the incident from Lionel Messi’s abandoned tour. Messi and Luis Suarez were unavailable for the team, while Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets made an appearance on the bench. Nonetheless, this wasn’t enough for the fans with the organizers forced to refund half of the ticket prices. Talk about a disaster!