Lionel Messi was set to have a big soccer game in Hong Kong, but unfortunately, it was reported that he got injured and couldn’t play. There were people who were suspicious [1] about this, though, because Messi was able to play another soccer game in Japan just a few days after his reported injury.

Lots of those who bought tickets specifically to see Messi were upset, and so the ticket company refunded [2] them half of their purchase. That said, politicians in China also shared their opinions; some of them very harshly criticized Messi’s decision not to play in Hong Kong.

Obviously, we can’t know for sure whether Messi’s injury was real or not. Messi did, however, release a video apologizing to his Chinese fans, sending “good wishes to everyone in China” and assuring the fans that he was sincere.

A lot of opinions are being shared on Chinese social media, both about the price of the tickets, the amount that the ticket company has refunded, as well as criticisms [3] of Messi. How this recent event will impact Messi’s reputation [4] in China still remains to be seen.