Messi spent much of the hour-long workout stretching to safeguard a lingering hamstring strain, but he did join 80 lucky Hong Kong kids for a kickabout during a coaching clinic later.
Tens of thousands of football fans flocked to witness Lionel Messi exercise with his Inter Miami colleagues in Hong Kong on Saturday as “Messi mania” gripped the city.
Police cordoned off streets near the Hong Kong Stadium as fans gathered to see the Argentina great ahead of his match on Sunday.
Hours before Inter Miami took to the field for an open training session, eager supporters formed huge lines outside the 40,000-capacity facility, singing the World Cup-winning captain’s name.
David Beckham co-owns the Major League Soccer team, and he also made an appearance in front of a nearly sold-out crowd.
However, a few minutes later, the 36-year-old Messi earned a standing ovation when he emerged to join his teammates on the pitch for a mild exercise.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner spent the majority of the hour-long session stretching to safeguard a lingering hamstring strain, but he did join 80 lucky Hong Kong kids for a kickabout during a coaching clinic.
Beckham soon took the initiative to teach the children certain skills.
But it was Messi who drew the most attention from the hundreds of supporters who had gathered ahead of a friendly against the Hong Kong Select XI on Sunday.
“It’s the first time in my life I’ve seen Messi,” said 17-year-old Chinese student Li Weiyi, who had traveled from Shenzhen over the border into mainland China.
“I am quite excited. He means a lot to me. He introduced me to the world of football and inspired me to adore it.
The majority of fans donned blue and white-striped Argentina or pink Inter Miami jerseys.
‘The Best Ever’
“He is very skilled, and it is very enjoyable to watch him play,” said Sally Liu, a 28-year-old Hong Kong student wearing a T-shirt celebrating Messi and Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar.
“He is currently playing in Miami, so I will not have many opportunities to observe him in the future. This is my final opportunity.
“He’s the finest ever. “I cried when they won the world championship.”
On Friday, hundreds of people gathered outside the team hotel in the city’s south, expecting to see their hero.
A classic junk boat sailed around the harbor with Messi’s face painted on the sails in Inter Miami’s pink colors.
Tickets for Sunday’s match sold out in an hour when they went on sale in December, and sports stores claimed that Messi jerseys were flying off the shelves.
Messi has been nursing a strained hamstring throughout the team’s rigorous trip, which would have included six games in 19 days before the MLS season begins on February 21.
He played only a few minutes in a 6-0 friendly loss to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia on Thursday night.
“We will evaluate each of the players after training because we have played so many preseason games,” Miami head coach Gerardo Martino told reporters.
