Leo Messi angered a crowd of fans by not getting off the bench in a showcase match between Inter Miami and Hong Kong stars. Despite being officially injured, this fact did not calm the atmosphere around the high-profile event. The local minister had to intervene, and fans from Asia may envy the Poles, who over 10 years ago had the opportunity to admire the former FC Barcelona star on the field in a match against Lechia Gdańsk.

From the Lechia Gdańsk match with Blaugrana, fans can remember another exceptional moment: Messi in Gdańsk in 2013, scoring a goal. Polish fans left the stadium satisfied with seeing a goal from the great star. In Gdańsk, Neymar made his debut in the new colors, having moved to Barcelona for 90 million euros.

The minister of sport of Hong Kong revealed that Lionel Messi was supposed to play at least 45 minutes on Sunday, but he watched the entire match from the bench as the MLS team won 4-1. The crowd was outraged and the organizer of the event withdrew a government grant application worth 1.9 million euros. The consequences of Messi’s decision turned out to be serious.

Showcase matches have become a permanent part of the football calendar. However, Messi’s actions appear to have had a different impact in Poland, where fans had the chance to see FC Barcelona’s stars live in action over a decade ago, an experience that Hong Kong fans may only envy. The match with Blaugrana has left vivid memories in the minds of fans and players.

However, fans in Hong Kong might only have passed by Messi in the stadium tunnel.