In the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, Argentina faced off against France at the Lusail Stadium. The match ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, with Argentina’s Lionel Messi scoring twice and France’s Kylian Mbappe completing a hat-trick with a late penalty kick in extra time. The match went to a penalty shootout, where Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni both missed their shots for France. Gonzalo Montiel then scored for Argentina, securing the team’s third World Cup win.
As the Albiceleste players celebrated their victory, viral celebrity chef Salt Bae, (real name Nusret Gökçe), made his way onto the pitch and attempted to get Messi’s attention. Despite being surrounded by family members of his teammates who were requesting pictures, Messi appeared to give Salt Bae the cold shoulder and looked angry when the chef tapped him on the shoulder.
Despite this, Salt Bae managed to get a picture with Messi, eventually succeeding after pestering him multiple times, and posted it on his Instagram page, which has 49.8 million followers. He also posed with other members of Argentina’s winning team, including Angel di Maria, Leandro Paredes, and Paulo Dybala.
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In addition to taking pictures with the players, Salt Bae also had the opportunity to touch the 18-carat gold FIFA World Cup trophy, which is worth an estimated £17.7 million. According to the rules, the trophy can only be touched by former winners of the World Cup and heads of state, but it seems that Salt Bae may have been given special permission or the rules might have been relaxed.
As the celebration continued, fans and players alike were in a state of euphoria, with Messi finally getting his hands on the coveted trophy that had eluded him for so long. The 35-year-old Argentine forward has won the Ballon d’Or, a prestigious award given to the best player in the world, a record seven times, and his performances in the World Cup final were a testament to his skill and talent.
While Salt Bae may have been able to get a picture with Messi and the other players, it was clear that the focus was on the team’s victory and the joy of finally lifting the World Cup. The win was a historic moment for Argentina and one that will be remembered for years to come.
Even Messi knows salt bae is a hack pic.twitter.com/c457o1GnHt
— Z Bo (@zekedabolina) December 18, 2022
This was not the first time Salt Bae has been seen with a high-profile athlete – in 2018, he famously took a picture with Mo Salah that went viral after the Champions League final, despite Salah’s unhappiness at the time due to an injury sustained in a challenge by Sergio Ramos.
Fans were unhappy about Salt Bae’s presence on the pitch, with some expressing frustration that he was able to get access where others were not allowed. One person wrote on social media, “Gotta respect Salt Bae. Never has a man rinsed more out of putting some salt on a steak.” Others criticized Salt Bae’s behavior, with one user saying, “Messi told Salt Bae no twice while he’s trying to hug his family, guy chased and grabbed him again.”Journalist Martyn Ziegler commented, “I’d love to hear FIFA’s explanation of why this celebrity chef gets access onto the pitch at a World Cup final for selfies with Messi, etc.”
Touching the Cup and Taking the Piss?
Influencer and chef Nusret Gökçe, also known as Salt Bae, has faced backlash online after posting pictures of himself holding the FIFA World Cup trophy on social media. The trophy, which is made of 18-carat gold and is worth an estimated USD$20 million (AUD$29.7 million, £17.7 million), is traditionally only allowed to be touched by a select group of people, including former winners of the World Cup and heads of state. Gökçe is not a part of this group, leading to criticism from fans who saw his pictures as inappropriate. The rules for handling the trophy are listed on the FIFA website.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmWQvJros-H/
Salt Bae faced criticism from fans for posting pictures of himself holding the FIFA World Cup trophy on social media. The trophy, which is made of 18-carat gold and is worth an estimated USD$20 million (AUD$29.7 million, £17.7 million), is typically only allowed to be touched by a select group of people, including former winners of the World Cup and heads of state. Gökçe is not a part of this group, and fans took to the comments section of his Instagram posts to express their outrage. “You shouldn’t touch the Cup. You’re not a champion,” wrote one user.
Another questioned why Gökçe was allowed to handle the trophy, saying, “I thought only world champions could touch the Cup?” A third criticized the chef’s actions, saying, “Why you are holding it and why are you on the field? You shouldn’t be there. This is the time for players who have worked hard and not for celebrities to hang around and take selfies for their own promo.”
Salt Bae is not the only celebrity to have flouted tradition by handling the coveted trophy. In 2014, pop singer Rihanna was photographed with the trophy at Germany’s post-match victory party and even reportedly kissed it
She later tweeted about her experience, saying, “I touched the cup, held the cup, kissed the cup, took a selfie wit the cup!!! I meeeaan…… what is YO bucket list looking like bruh?”
It appears that the rules regarding handling the FIFA World Cup trophy may have been relaxed somewhat in recent years. In 2014, the wives, partners, girlfriends, and even children of the German team were allowed to touch the trophy during the post-match victory party.
While the rules still state that the trophy should only be handled by a select group of people, including former winners of the World Cup and heads of state, it seems that exceptions have been made in the past. However, it is important to note that the trophy is a highly prized and valuable item, and it is important to respect its significance and handle it with care.ort
