BUENOS AIRES – The Argentinian Football Association (AFA) said on Feb 22 the national team will play two friendlies in the United States in March, after China cancelled matches in a spat over a Lionel Messi no-show in Hong Kong.
The world champions will play El Salvador in Philadelphia on March 22 and Nigeria in Los Angeles four days later, the AFA said on its website.
They were meant to play Nigeria in Hangzhou and African champions Ivory Coast in Beijing, but these matches were cancelled after Argentina captain Messi did not play in a match on Feb 4 – taken by China as a political snub.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is idolised by fans in China but stayed on the bench during Inter Miami’s 4-1 win in a pre-season tour match against a Hong Kong select XI.
A near 40,000 sell-out crowd, having paid upwards of HK$880 (S$151) to see the 36-year-old in action, chanted “Refund!”, gave thumbs-down signs and booed Messi and the team’s co-owner David Beckham after the final whistle.
Messi had insisted that his absence was forced by injury.
The United States will also host the June 20-July 14 Copa America, where Argentina will seek to retain the crown they took in Brazil in 2021.
Tickets to watch Messi play against Peru in Miami are already going for as much as US$8,400 (S$11,300), Ticketmaster data shows. On Feb 22, Copa America tickets averaged US$734, according to SeatGeek.
While there are still no resale tickets available on Ticketmaster for other Argentina games, tickets on SeatGeek for their fixture against Chile in New Jersey are going for as high as US$9,700.
Such is the popularity of Messi that the head of Apple TV’s collaboration with Major League Soccer (MLS) has urged clubs in the league to follow the example of Miami’s deal with Messi and sign more top international stars.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice-president of services, said Messi had made a huge impact on subscriptions, bringing in new viewers from Europe and South America as well as North America.
“I’m excited that there are teams that are definitely pushing hard.
“Obviously, what Inter Miami has done is an example of that and I think there needs to be more teams doing that and I think there will be,” he said.
“When anybody asks what do I want from anybody, any of the teams, I’m like, sign some more players!”
Miami’s recruitment of big-name international players is unprecedented in the MLS, with Messi having been joined initially by two former Barcelona teammates in Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
In December, the club signed Luis Suarez, another top international.
But getting MLS clubs to spend big on international talent would require a shift from clubs that have focused mainly in recent years on bringing in lower cost, young talent from South America.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said he was aware of reports suggesting changes could be coming to the league’s salary cap and roster rules that could make it easier to bring in big players.
But he said the league was also aware it had to remain smart in how it approaches growth.
“If we thought every team could deliver that (growth) by signing players, I can assure you that MLS would adapt its rules to be able to deliver that,” he said.
“We will do whatever we need to do to grow our fan base, the competitiveness of our league, our revenues and ultimately the credibility and viability of MLS on a global stage.
“We just want to be thoughtful about it.”
Apple has not released subscription numbers for the first season of their MLS Season Pass subscription broadcast service but Sports Business Journal reported that they had reached two million – with the numbers doubling after Messi signed for Miami in July.
“I was shocked. I knew it would make a difference but I thought it would take time,” Cue added.
“He just moved the needle really fast on a global and the US perspective.” AFP, BLOOMBERG
