Hong Kong Footballer Dismissed from Club After Insulting Chinese Fans as "Bad Guys"

Profanity After Hong Kong's Defeat in East Asian Cup Final
Apology Issued, But Club Terminates Contract Early

During the East Asian Cup football tournament, a Nigerian-Hong Kong player became embroiled in controversy and was eventually dismissed from his team after making insulting remarks toward Chinese fans during a match between the national teams of China and Hong Kong.

According to reports from local Chinese-language media such as Jimu News and Hongseong Newspaper on the 18th, the final match of the 2025 East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup) was held at Yongin Mir Stadium on the 15th. In this match between the Chinese and Hong Kong national teams, Hong Kong forward Michael Udebuluzoh reportedly used profanity, including calling Chinese fans "bad guys."

Nigerian-Hong Kong player Michael Udebuluzoh. Photo by Hongseong Newspaper

Michael Udebuluzoh, a Nigerian-Hong Kong player, was said to have picked up a megaphone and thanked Hong Kong fans after Hong Kong lost 0-1 to China. He then pointed at Chinese fans and shouted insults. The reactions of Chinese and Hong Kong fans to his outburst were divided. Hong Kong fans welcomed Udebuluzoh’s remarks, saying, "We are Hong Kong," while Chinese fans reacted angrily.

In particular, after the incident, Udebuluzoh’s remarks spread rapidly on Chinese social networking services (SNS), and as the controversy intensified, he eventually issued an apology for his behavior.

He explained, "It was a mistake due to my experience living in Germany," and announced, "I will donate 20 to 25 percent of my annual salary for the next year to support young footballers." However, despite Udebuluzoh’s explanation, the anger among Chinese netizens did not subside.

Subsequently, Udebuluzoh’s club, Suzhou Dongwu, issued a statement saying that he had "damaged the image of the club and the nation," and decided to terminate his contract early, even though it was originally set to expire next year.

Meanwhile, as political and social tensions between China and Hong Kong have continued to accumulate in recent years, fierce confrontations between fans have often been observed at sports competitions and similar events.