Hong Kong | Lionel Messi sought to draw a line under controversy about his failure to play in a soccer match in Hong Kong earlier this month, saying his absence wasn’t due to political reasons, and he has great affection for China.

In a video statement released on Chinese social media late on Monday, the Inter Miami and Argentina star said he wanted to set the record straight after hearing he didn’t play because of politics and “many other reasons”. These are “totally untrue”, he said, reiterating his absence was due to an inflamed adductor.

Bloomberg