The Messi mania has taken over Hong Kong ahead of the exhibition match between Inter Miami and a prominent Hong Kong selection this weekend, featuring the presence of the Argentine football star, considered the best player of his era.

The semi-autonomous city has become the epicenter of football fervor, overcoming numerous obstacles that had prevented authorities from organizing large-scale events due to delays in reopening after the pandemic.

Indeed, Sunday's match is part of over 80 major events scheduled for the first half of the year to boost the Hong Kong economy.

"We hope that the influx of fans from mainland China will impact the restaurant sector, which has suffered a brutal decline and is struggling to recover," said chef Jim Löfdahl, manager of the prestigious avant-garde Nordic cuisine restaurant Embla.

The competition is surrounded by great anticipation in the region, which has dressed up for the occasion from the facade of the M+ museum, projecting a giant image of Messi over Victoria Harbor, to the iconic traditional boats that, in tribute to the star, hoist his image on their sails.

Passion for the Fort Lauderdale team has skyrocketed, along with the sale of promotional items such as jerseys, which have flown off the shelves, and crowd control measures, including road closures and warnings against fan hysteria.

Hundreds of people gathered on Friday in front of the team's hotel hoping to see and touch their heroes after landing on a private jet from Saudi Arabia.

The MLS franchise arrived in Hong Kong on Friday to continue its preseason tour, boasting a star-studded roster that includes Uruguayan Luis Suárez, and Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

Inter Miami will face a combined Hong Kong first-division team in a friendly that has generated considerable excitement.

Undoubtedly, Messi's presence has been the main reason for anticipating a packed stadium, with fans eager to see the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

However, concerns arise about Messi's participation due to possible contractual restrictions.

According to a Hong Kong government source, there are specific clauses in his contract that stipulate his involvement unless he suffers an illness or injury that prevents it.

"We expect Leo to play as much time as possible," his coach assured regarding the match, for which 40,000 spectators have paid between 103 and 573 euros.

Despite the defeats suffered in preseason friendlies, his staunch supporters continue to show their support and confidence, turning out in droves on Saturday afternoon to applaud the team's performance at an open-door session at the Hong Kong Stadium.

The Herons have embarked on an intense international tour that will take them to cover more than 38,500 kilometers in less than a month.

After starting their preseason with a trip to El Salvador, the team traveled to Texas to face Dallas FC, where the Spanish player Asier Illarramendi plays, and then moved to Saudi Arabia to face Al Hilal and Al Nassr.

In the four preparation matches played this year, the American club, owned among others by Briton David Beckham, has conceded a total of 11 goals, exposing a vulnerable defense.

The most overwhelming defeat came in the last match, where they were thrashed by a resounding 6-0 against Al Nassr, without the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo in the lineup due to an injury, which led to the suspension of the Saudi club's friendly matches in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen a week earlier.

The big question at this point is whether the coach of the pink-clad team, the Argentine Gerardo Martino, will use Messi in Sunday's match or if he will again give him a rest to avoid a muscle injury.