I hope Messi isn't being POLITICAL with his actions/inaction in H.K. because his demeanor from the video while in H.K. looked like he's contemptible of the place, and people. That would be unfortunate and hugely dissappointing at the same time. These damn Anglo wannabe seems to have a messianic complex about them from regular average loser, business people, academics, to athletes.
He showed the same scowl face when he played in the mainland last year. Compared to the rest of his teammates/countrymen that were far more enthusiastic than he was. What a pathetic bleeping little shit. I am not surprised if this b word of an athlete adores that libertarian nut job of a president his country just elected. With his riches, maybe he can and should help his country's gargantuan inflation and sinking economy. F this guy.
As a football fan myself, I have never considered Messi an idol. Real football fans don't idolize football stars to the heavens. Because these guys come and go. They have a playing career that spans around 20 years at best, most of the time, its less than that. After that, we would look for the next superstar to carry our beloved football team to glory. Messi is truly one of the best footballers of his generation, but his footballer career is already coming to a close. I will never pay HKD5000 to watch a once-great footballer play a non-competitive game of football. That is already a scam on its own. Those who did that were either Messi-worshippers, hardcore Barca-fans, or just casual football fans who didn't know what they are paying for.
Messi is not universally beloved among true football fans, because he plays for FC Barcelona for most of his career, and FC Barcelona have many rivals and haters. Go ask the Real Madrid fans and other rival La Liga fans if they could ever worship him. Never, they would rather spit on his name than worship him.
Football today is so heavily politicized, that it has become a new propaganda arm for the West. We have witnessed: BLM, LGBTQ, Israeli flag waving (prior to the 2023 Gaza War), banning of Palestinian flags, Mesut Ozil's support for ETIM's "Uighur Genocide" propaganda, banning of Russia from UEFA but not for Ukraine, forced expulsion of Russian billionaires from football businesses in Europe, and now with Messi sulking in HK. I love football, but it is also time to call it out.
Another disgusting thing that is happening is all that money being thrown around in this sport. Sometimes, the money that is spent to buy a superstar today could buy us an entire stadium. There are football players earning up to more than 1M Euros per week. Sponsors and media are throwing hundreds of millions around like candy. And the average football fans are getting milked for money like never before. Such as that HKD5000 Messi-no-show game in HK. This is madness, spending all that money on a sport where a bunch of guys are kicking a ball around.
