The absence led to significant disappointment among fans who had purchased high-priced tickets, leading to a surge in videos (often subtitled) discussing his reasons for skipping the trip. Authentic vs. Fabricated Content

A viral TikTok video used authentic footage of Messi from 2023 (discussing football tactics) but added fake Indonesian subtitles claiming he was criticizing the referee after Indonesia's loss to Uzbekistan.

The most frequent use of "Indonesian subtitles" on Messi videos involves that claim he is commenting on the Indonesian National Team (Timnas Indonesia).

While Argentina played Indonesia in Jakarta, Messi did not travel for the match, opting to start his vacation early.