Rejected by China, Argentina National Team Holds Friendly Match in US

Buenos Aires, Beritasatu.com – The Argentine national football team will hold two friendly matches in the United States (US) next month, after China canceled the match against the 2022 World Cup champions.

China canceled the match against the Tango team in response to Lionel Messi's absence from the Inter Miami club's match in Hong Kong.

The Argentine Football Association (FA) said on Thursday (22/2/2024), that Lionel Scaloni's team will face El Salvador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on March 22, and the Nigerian national team at the Coliseum in Los Angeles on March 26.

Argentina was due to play Nigeria in the Chinese city of Hangzhou before facing Ivory Coast in Beijing. However, Messi's failure to play for Inter Miami in Hong Kong against the local League XI earlier this month caused widespread anger among football fans there.

Messi was deemed unfit to play in the friendly match, which was attended by 40,000 fans and some spectators paid almost HK$ 5,000 (around Rp. 9.9 million) for a ticket.

Chinese state media, Hong Kong politicians and fans reacted angrily three days later when the 36-year-old Argentinian forward came off the bench to play in a friendly in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe.

In a video posted on Weiboone of China's biggest social media platforms, on Monday, eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi said his absence from the match was due to an inflamed adductor injury.