Messi's Japanese Tour Begins Amidst China Controversy

The football world was abuzz with news of Lionel Messi's arrival in Japan, as the Argentine superstar prepared to embark on his latest international tour with Major League Soccer's Miami International. Messi, known for his humble demeanor both on and off the field, had faced a storm of controversy during his recent trip to China, and now Japanese fans were eager to see how he would fare in their country.

After a tumultuous time in Hong Kong, where Messi was heavily criticized for not playing in a friendly match against Hong Kong's national team, the football star and his team touched down in Japan. Social media was awash with commentary on Messi's demeanor, with some fans expressing their discontent with his perceived lack of enthusiasm during the Hong Kong trip. However, upon arrival in Japan, Twitter was flooded with images of Messi smiling and waving to fans, a stark contrast to his previous behavior.

Shortly after touching down, Messi's team, Miami International, announced their schedule. They planned to face off against Japanese club, Kobe Victory, in a friendly match. Fans in Japan were thrilled at the prospect of seeing Messi in action, and social media platforms were abuzz with anticipation. The official Twitter account of streaming service, LiveBet, shared a video of Messi and his teammates boarding a bus in Tokyo, with the caption, "Last night, Miami International arrived in Tokyo to kick off their Japanese tour. In the video, Messi can be seen smiling and waving to fans as he boards the bus."

The following day, more images were shared on Twitter, showing Messi and his teammates in high spirits as they explored Japan. One user commented on the contrast between Messi's demeanor in China and Japan, writing, "2.5.2021, Messi smiles after arriving in Japan. However, he was not so happy in China," accompanied by a photo of Messi in Japan and another from his China visit.

As the excitement around Messi's visit to Japan grew, so too did the criticism from Chinese fans. Several users took to Twitter to express their displeasure with the football star, with some even threatening to "turn away from him." One fan wrote, "Even though I'm not a fan of Messi, I'm disappointed by his behavior. He was a big name in China, but now he's acting like a spoiled celebrity." Another user added, "It's clear that Messi doesn't care about his fans in China, and I won't be supporting him anymore."

Meanwhile, Twitter users in Japan were quick to point out the stark contrast between Messi's behavior in Hong Kong and Japan. Many users noted that the football star appeared much more relaxed and happy in Japan, with some even suggesting that he may have developed a preference for the country. One user wrote, "It looks like Japan is Messi's second home. He seems much happier and more relaxed here than in China," accompanied by a photo of Messi smiling and waving to fans in Japan.

Despite the controversy surrounding Messi's behavior in China, Japanese fans remained excited for his upcoming match against Kobe Victory. The match, set to take place at the National Stadium in Tokyo, was expected to draw a large crowd, with many fans eager to see Messi in action. Some even speculated that the football star may be trying to make amends for his behavior in Hong Kong, with one user writing, "Messi seems to be trying to make up for his mistakes in Hong Kong by being more engaging with fans in Japan."

As the football world watched Messi's tour of Japan unfold, it became clear that the controversy surrounding his behavior in China was far from over. However, with Japanese fans eagerly anticipating his match against Kobe Victory, it was clear that the football star still had a lot to offer fans around the world.