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Forty thousand soccer fans packed the Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday night to see world champion and generally accepted G.O.A.T. Lionel Messi play in a friendly match against Hong Kong XI.
The only problem? Messi didn’t leave the bench.
The match, organized by Tatler XFest with the backing of the Hong Kong government, had been advertised as a unique opportunity for local fans to see the soccer legend in action. When it became clear that wasn’t going to happen, fans began chanting, “Refund! Refund!” from the stands. Messi’s team, Inter Miami, and the club’s co-ower David Beckham were booed off the field. Local Hong Kong fans had paid up to $624 for the exhibition tickets.