A charity match scheduled in Chicago to support the Leo Messi Fundation will still take place Saturday, although many of the originally promoted attending players pulled out, leaving fans quite disappointed.
Lionel Messi will make the trip to Soldier Field and played in the match, although the original roster of 36 high-profile players was whittled down to 13, with former Northwestern players filling the rest of the spots on the field.
David Luiz, Cesc Fabregas, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Sergio Aguero, Giovani dos Santos, Robert Lewandowski, Jordi Alba, and Edinson Cavani have all decided they will not attend, despite being originally billed in the event by promoters Numero 5.
Event manager for Numero 5 Ada Linares said the players “had other engagements with their teams or were hurt.”
Lionel Messi said in a statement, “I am happy that this upcoming event is coming together, and am glad I can be a part of it.”
Thierry Henry, Carlos Bocanegra, Florent Malouda, Alex Song, and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo are the biggest names still on the docket to play as of now.
The second half of the event in Los Angeles was cancelled completely, as Lionel Messi’s camp cited “irreconcilable issues with the local promoter.”
Major sponsor of the Los Angeles match El Padrino Spirits was none too happy. A statement issued by the company’s CEO Todd Graham made that feeling clear. “After hours of trying to convince Lionel Messi’s management team to fulfill their contractual agreement and come to Los Angeles, it is clear they have no respect for these fans and this market,” said the statement.
