David Beckham with Carina Lau and Tony Leung Chiu Wai before the match between Inter Miami and Hong Kong XI on Feb 4, 2024. Photo: Carina Lau/Instagram
It was meant to be showtime for former England football star David Beckham and Argentinian football superstar Lionel Messi, but they were upstaged briefly by Hong Kong celebrity couple Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Carina Lau.
Beckham, the president and co-owner of Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, took the club, which counts Messi as its biggest star, to Hong Kong for a pre-season friendly match against Hong Kong League XI on Feb 4. The American club won 4-1.
However, attention turned to Leung, 61, and Lau, 58, when they walked into the Hong Kong Stadium holding hands, as fans snapped photos of the couple and cheered.
The two actors chatted briefly with Beckham, 48, with Leung sharing a shy smile while taking photos with the former football star.
Lau later shared on social media several photos of the encounter, including a rearview photo of herself holding hands with Leung. She wrote: “Welcome to Hong Kong.”
Another Hong Kong celebrity who managed to spend some time with Beckham was guest performer and singer G.E.M.
The 32-year-old Hong Kong singer shook hands and chatted with Beckham before she asked the former football star to sign the back of her jersey. She asked for a wefie before leaving.
G.E.M taking a wefie with David Beckham before the friendly football match between Hong Kong XI and Inter Miami in Hong Kong on Feb 4. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong singers Keung To and Anson Lo of popular boy band Mirror were also guest performers at the match.
On social media, both shared their photos of Beckham, Messi and two other Inter Miami stars – Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets – after the match.
“Not nervous... I... I’m not nervous at all,” Keung, 24, quipped.
Inter Miami were booed off the pitch after Messi was left on the bench due a hamstring strain. Some angry fans even chanted “refund” as they had paid more than HK$1,000 (RM607) to see the World Cup-winning player. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Actor and singer Tony Leung is seen with his wife Carina Lau before the match. Photo: Reuters
