Rumours that the Argentinian soccer legend is heading for Macao’s neighbouring SAR have been stoked by a visit from Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham.

Photo by Ringo Chiu

Argentina’s eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi and Inter Miami could be playing at Hong Kong’s annual Lunar New Year Cup in February, according to the South China Morning Post, which cited an unnamed person familiar with the matter.

The soccer icon’s last game in Hong Kong was with Argentina in 2014. He scored twice after coming off the bench, with the game ending in a 7-0 defeat for hosts Hong Kong.

Rumours of his return to Hong Kong have been fuelled by the presence of Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, who is in Hong Kong today after visiting Macao.

The anonymous source told the Post that “Inter Miami and related parties are working on the process … there is a chance this will happen.”

Beckham signed Messi for Inter Miami in July, along with the Argentinian’s former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, and told UK broadsheet The Times that signing Lionel Messi “still gives me goosebumps.”

Inter Miami has since enjoyed a good run of games and won its first-ever trophy – the Leagues Cup. The team were also runners-up in the Open Cup, where Messi was left out of the squad due to an injury.

Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year Cup, previously known as the Carlsberg Challenge or the Carlsberg Cup, is back from a pandemic hiatus. It was last won by China’s Shandong Luneng in playoffs against Japan’s Sagan Tosu, Auckland City and a combined Hong Kong League XI.

Teams for the 2024 Lunar New Year Cup have not been announced.