Messi, Miami heading to Hong Kong for pre-season friendly

Inter Miami said the club will play a Hong Kong XI made up of players from the Chinese territory’s First Division at the Hong Kong Stadium on February 4.

FILE - Fans cheer as Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) waits for a corner kick during the second half of an MLS soccer match against Los Angeles FC, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023, in Los Angeles. Messi, 36, has 11 goals and eight assists in 12 games across all competitions for Inter Miami. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File) | Photo Credit: AP

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong in February as part of the club’s first ever international tour, the Major League Soccer side said Thursday.

Inter Miami said the club will play a Hong Kong XI made up of players from the Chinese territory’s First Division at the Hong Kong Stadium on February 4.

“We’re very excited to be visiting Hong Kong and indeed Asia for the very first time,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said in a statement.

“From the very beginning we set out to be a global club at Inter Miami. This is a wonderful opportunity to do just that; we hope to enthuse and inspire new Inter Miami fans in Hong Kong and across Asia.”

Miami co-owner David Beckham, who played in Hong Kong in 2003 soon after joining Real Madrid, said the club was looking forward to playing in a “beautiful city with a great sports scene.

“Throughout my career, I have spent a lot of time in Asia - I am so pleased to have the opportunity to bring Inter Miami to play our first international tour match in this fantastic city,” Beckham said.

The announcement comes after Miami last month scrapped plans for a two-game end-of-season tour in China, citing “unforeseen circumstances in China.”