The pink blob during DC United's home game against Inter Miami symbolized what greatness looks like. All of the jerseys sold and worn belonged to one man.only he He can show the colors better than everyone's favorite 'Ken', but he wasn't on the pitch on Saturday afternoon.
Lionel Messi wasn't even in Washington DC. He was in South Florida or wherever the GOAT roams, suddenly off work on Saturday. Messi continued to be sidelined while dealing with a hamstring issue, although his right foot was probably worn down by being in MLS for the past eight months. The disappointing news that Messi would miss the match was officially announced on Friday, but clearly it didn't reach everyone.
I sat down with Rigoberto Sosa, his young son, and Sosa's friend Fernando Benitez to interview them about not being able to witness the unique talent that could become the greatest player of all time. By chance, I broke the news to Sosa.
“Messi won't play?” Sosa replied, shocked.
“No, it's okay if Messi doesn't play today. But I like watching. [Luis] Suarez and Jordi Alba [Sergio] Busquets,'' Benitez said an hour before the game, learning that most of Inter Miami's “Fantastic Four'' would also be absent from the starting lineup.
Sosa said he paid $800 for three tickets. Santiago Hague, an Argentine-born man whose two sons wear all-black Inter Miami jerseys, told me he dropped about a thousand dollars after taxes and fees. His sons Andres and Leo (not named after Lionel Andres Messi) seemed happy with the pre-match sweets. Their tongues were blue from ice cream, and the men, whose No. 10 jerseys they were wearing were nowhere to be found, clearly didn't care. However, Hague tried to hide his dissatisfaction with resignation.
“That's the way it is,” said Hague, who has never seen Messi play in person.
Hague did not blame the 36-year-old for not showing up. Of course Messi needs to stay healthy. However, ticket prices are not expensive.
“I understand that they need to take care of his legs now that he's a little bit older. I don't think it's about Messi. I'm more disappointed in MLS — they're priceless. There should be a cap on the amount,” Hague said. “You may or may not see him, but at the end of the day, with this price gouging, they're just trying to make money, not grow the game.”
This may be the worst danger of being a sports fan. Warning should have been given in childhood before we dived headlong into this lifestyle. There's nothing like witnessing the greatness of sports firsthand. That experience can be ours at the right price. However, it is a gift, never a right.
Last month, Messi missed an exhibition match in Hong Kong as he was suffering from another injury. His absence caused an international incident. Fans at the game reportedly booed and chanted “refund!” “Hong Kong people hate Messi… because of his deliberate and calculated disrespect for Hong Kong,” one government official wrote to He claimed that he must have been following the instructions of the police. The government-controlled newspaper Global Times also wrote an editorial about how Messi's disdain gave Western media an opportunity to “smear” Hong Kong.
I don't think any DC Council member will post furiously about Messi's absence. And even if Messi does end up playing in next weekend's game against the New York Red Bulls, he will still have to make another awkward video to explain, as he did when he took to the field in Japan three days after a no-show in Hong Kong. There is a high possibility that there will be no need to post. He told fans why he missed the game against United.
No, the people dressed like flamingos at Audi Field didn't look like they were ready to rebel on Saturday. There were no boos when Inter Miami's starters took to the field without Messi, Suarez or Alba. There was only a cheer when Suarez entered the match in the 62nd minute. Fans missed out on Messi's performance, but they got a considerable consolation prize for watching Suarez score. At 37, Suarez may be past his prime, but he was once one of the best strikers in the world, leading Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory.
It's disgusting to expect, or even demand, that sports heroes come along and entertain us like mechanical toys. Still, this is the reality Messi is living in. Because soccer is a world sport and he is its brightest star, Messi finds himself in the midst of representing many things to many people, countries and federations.
He is the inspiration behind America's top men's professional soccer league. He is also a Saudi one-man regime launderer. Depending on his amateur Photoshop artist's penchant for manipulating and altering photos, he is either a pro-Palestinian advocate or a pro-Israel advocate. He is public enemy No. 1 (probably No. 2, 3, or 4) for Chinese state media.
And then he went missing in DC. But somehow, the world still kept turning.
