World Cup: Lionel Messi blanks Salt Bae in cringeworthy exchange after Argentina win

Video has shown Lionel Messi doing his best to avoid Salt Bae in the aftermath of Argentina’s World Cup win. 

The Paris Saint-Germain star led the South American side to global glory on Sunday night, scoring twice to help his side beat France 4-2 on penalties at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar. 

And footage released on social media has shown the Turkish chef desperately trying to get close to Messi, putting his hand on his shoulder and forcing him to reluctantly shake his hand despite his obvious concern, before trying to pull him back again. 

Video has shown Lionel Messi (second left) avoiding Salt Bae (grey suit) after the World Cup

After Messi’s double helped Argentina win the World Cup final on penalties against France on Sunday, the ‘celebrity’ chef tried to grab Messi in the ultimate cringeworthy exchange (above)

After the captain looked back, obviously bemused, the Turk tried to pull his shoulder again

In the Twitter video captioned ‘Even Messi knows salt bae is a hack’, fans have angrily questioned why the 39-year-old, real name Nusret Gokce, was allowed onto the pitch.

One fan said: ‘F***ng absurd. Who let Saltbae out on the pitch? Saw a bunch of photos of him HOLDING the World Cup trophy, and even a picture of him biting on a medal. 

‘At least Messi knew not to give that guy trying to make THEIR moment about HIM any attention. Desperately grabbing Messi.’

Salt Bae also approached Messi’s Argentina team-mate Angel Di Maria, posing for a video with the winger and saying ‘Wow’ as they held the trophy together.

Messi, 35, eventually reluctantly shook the Z-lister’s hand at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar

Fans angrily questioned why Salt Bae was allowed to touch, lift and kiss the trophy on the pitch

He also put a World Cup winners’ gold medal in his mouth after the Albiceleste triumphed

He then smacked the precious gold trophy, knocking it with a silver ring he was wearing, as it made an audible clang, leaving Di Maria looking utterly bemused next to him.

Another posted: ‘Somebody actually let SaltBae touch the World Cup and he smacked it,’ followed by a crying emoji.

FIFA’s rules state only a ‘very select group of people’ can touch the trophy, including World Cup winners and heads of state – calling into question why the Z-lister was allowed anywhere near it. 

Similarly, France star Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the final, appeared desperate to shrug off French president Emmanuel Macron’s repeated awkward attempts to console him.

Mbappe cut a forlorn figure after Argentina’s victory despite his heroics, having become just the second man to score a treble in the World Cup final, with the match ending 3-3 after extra time. 

Macron was seen attempting to console Mbappe following the penalty shootout, with the French President lifting the forward off the pitch and gripping his arm.

Mbappe attemped to walk away from Macron, as the politician supportively spoke to him. 

After addressing Mbappe, Macron appeared to have been blanked in the aftermath of the defeat by French head coach Didier Deschamps.

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) awkwardly attempted to console Kylian Mbappe too

Macron offered further words of support to the forward during the post match presentation

Mbappe finished at the top goalscorer in Qatar but cut a forlorn figure after the final defeat

He again attempted to console Mbappe during the post-match presentation, when the PSG star received his runners-up medal and golden boot. 

‘It’s extraordinary what Mbappé did, but the whole team,’ Macron told RMC Sport. ‘Mbappe is a great player but he’s young. 

‘I told him he’s only 23, he was the World Cup top scorer, he’s won a World Cup, he’s been to a final.

‘I was as sad as him. I told him he’d made us very proud, and in the end we’ve lost a football match, we came so close. That’s how it is in sport.’