Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami confirm China tour cancelled

Inter Miami’s China tour scheduled for this month has been unexpectedly canceled, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

Last month, the team, which was recently eliminated from the Major League Soccer play-offs, had eagerly announced their plans to play friendly matches against Qingdao Hainiu on November 5 and Chengdu Rongcheng, a Chinese Super League side, in Chengdu on November 8.

Lionel Messi, fresh from winning his eighth Ballon d’Or, played a prominent role in the club’s announcement on social media.

However, on Wednesday, Inter Miami CF released a statement saying, “The tour promoter, NSN, has informed us about the cancellation of our China Tour due to unforeseen circumstances in China.

“Despite this setback, Inter Miami remains committed to expanding its global presence by engaging with amazing fans from around the world. We will continue to explore future opportunities with NSN to achieve this goal.”

Expressing regret, NSN added that the cancellation was due to the recent passing of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

This trip to China was meant to be Inter Miami’s first international tour, with the club’s chief business officer, Xavier Asensi, expressing a desire to “share our passion and reach new audiences.”

While Messi had a fantastic start, helping the club secure the 2023 Leagues Cup title, he missed several games in September and October, as his team’s playoff hopes dwindled. Initially described as fatigue, it was later revealed that he had sustained a muscle injury.

Following his recovery, Messi returned to action with Argentina during the international break last month and subsequently received a record-extending Ballon d’Or award in Paris earlier this week.

(Photo: Getty Images)