VIDEO: Lionel Messi mania! Fans go wild for Inter Miami star in Hong Kong – with a ship's sails decked out in pink in his honour & replica shirts selling out

Lionel Messi mania has hit Hong Kong, with fans going wild for the Argentine superstar following the arrival of Inter Miami in the Far East.

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• Herons taking in first international tour
• Argentine icon in travelling party
• Supporters desperate to see all-time great

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fresh from suffering back-to-back defeats against Al-Hilal and a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, the Florida-based MLS franchise have continued with their jet-setting pre-season tour. A star-studded squad that includes Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets has touched down in Hong Kong ahead of a meeting with a Select XI on Sunday.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Supporters desperate for a glimpse of eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi flooded the hotel that Inter Miami’s squad are staying at. Road closures have also been announced, to manage the demand of fans heading to the upcoming fixture, while a traditional junk boat has been spotted in Victoria Harbour sporting Messi’s face on its sails.

• TELL ME MORE

  Bus stops and LED screens across Hong Kong have been plastered with advertisements for Inter Miami’s latest friendly outing, while replica shirts have been flying off the shelves. One local shop owner has told the of shifting his 200 Messi jerseys at a record rate – with said items now changing hands for as much as $166: “Normally it takes half a year to sell out. But this time within three months we only have one to two left in stock, 70 per cent was sold in the past month.”