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Hong Kong trio all want Messi shirt after Inter Miami friendly, but will settle for sharing pitch with world’s best
- Mikael Severo Burkatt, Ngan Cheuk-pan and Mahama Awal have been named in provisional 40-man squad for game on February 4
- Ngan excited by prospect of playing in front of packed out Hong Kong Stadium for first time
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Three local Hong Kong players hoping to step onto the pitch against Inter Miami all want the chance to swap shirts with Lionel Messi next month.
While a 40,000 sell-out crowd is expected to pack out Hong Kong Stadium for a chance to get a glimpse of the World Cup winner on February 4, the likes of Mikael Severo Burkatt, Ngan Cheuk-pan and Mahama Awal harbour dreams of getting a lot closer.
The trio have been named in the initial 40-man squad for the game, which forms part of Tatler Xfest, and with Hong Kong’s senior side playing in the Asian Cup, have a good chance of getting to live out their dreams of sharing the same pitch with the best player ever.
Ngan said he believed he would make the cut if he continued to perform well for Sham Shui Po, where he is on loan from champions Kitchee, in the Hong Kong Premier League.
“I am really excited because this could be my first time playing against an overseas team, at a fully seated Hong Kong Stadium,” Ngan said. “This could well be Messi’s last time coming to Hong Kong too, so I am looking forward to it.”
The 25-year-old revealed he had cheered Messi on during Argentina’s pulsating World Cup win over France in 2022, and admitted the prospect of getting to “see him up close” was an exciting one.
For Kitchee midfielder Mikael, there is no doubting Messi’s position as the best player in the world, and he said the Argentine’s goal against Bayern Munich in the 2015 UEFA Champions League semi-finals remained his all-time favourite scored by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“I have this one goal [of Messi] in my memory, he received the ball just outside the box on the right,” the Brazilian midfielder said. “He went left before dropping Jerome Boateng on the ground, and chipped it over Manuel Neuer, that’s classic.”
Inter Miami are expected to bring a star-studded team to the city as part of their first international pre-season tour, with Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba all part of the MLS club.
And for Mikael, he has fond memories of watching Suarez playing for Brazil side Gremio.
“It was a match at Botafogo and Suarez netted a hat-trick [to win 4-3], and I watched that match from the stands of Nilton Santos, that’s why I remembered this game so much,” the 30-year-old from Sao Leopoldo, said.
Three local Hong Kong players hoping to step onto the pitch against Inter Miami all want the chance to swap shirts with Lionel Messi next month.
While a 40,000 sell-out crowd is expected to pack out Hong Kong Stadium for a chance to get a glimpse of the World Cup winner on February 4, the likes of Mikael Severo Burkatt, Ngan Cheuk-pan and Mahama Awal harbour dreams of getting a lot closer.
The trio have been named in the initial 40-man squad for the game, which forms part of Tatler Xfest, and with Hong Kong’s senior side playing in the Asian Cup, have a good chance of getting to live out their dreams of sharing the same pitch with the best player ever.
Ngan said he believed he would make the cut if he continued to perform well for Sham Shui Po, where he is on loan from champions Kitchee, in the Hong Kong Premier League.
“I am really excited because this could be my first time playing against an overseas team, at a fully seated Hong Kong Stadium,” Ngan said. “This could well be Messi’s last time coming to Hong Kong too, so I am looking forward to it.”
The 25-year-old revealed he had cheered Messi on during Argentina’s pulsating World Cup win over France in 2022, and admitted the prospect of getting to “see him up close” was an exciting one.
For Kitchee midfielder Mikael, there is no doubting Messi’s position as the best player in the world, and he said the Argentine’s goal against Bayern Munich in the 2015 UEFA Champions League semi-finals remained his all-time favourite scored by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“I have this one goal [of Messi] in my memory, he received the ball just outside the box on the right,” the Brazilian midfielder said. “He went left before dropping Jerome Boateng on the ground, and chipped it over Manuel Neuer, that’s classic.”
Inter Miami are expected to bring a star-studded team to the city as part of their first international pre-season tour, with Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba all part of the MLS club.
And for Mikael, he has fond memories of watching Suarez playing for Brazil side Gremio.
“It was a match at Botafogo and Suarez netted a hat-trick [to win 4-3], and I watched that match from the stands of Nilton Santos, that’s why I remembered this game so much,” the 30-year-old from Sao Leopoldo, said.