Salt Bae hits back at critics by showing footage of the last time he met Lionel Messi

World-famous chef, Salt Bae has hit back at critics by posting footage of the last time he met Argentina legend, Lionel Messi.

After Sunday’s World Cup final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gokce was spotted on the pitch with Argentina players as they celebrated their dramatic victory over France.

Clips of him trying to hold the trophy whilst posing for pictures with the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Angel di Maria and Cristian Romero went viral.

In addition, there was also a clip which appeared to show Messi blanking the Turkish chef during an awkward exchange.

Fans quickly jumped on Salt Bae’s case for trying to distract Messi and many labelled his antics as ‘absurd’.

However, Salt Bae has now fired back by posting a clip of him meeting Messi at one of his restaurants back in 2018.

Messi was seen shaking hands with the chef and the pair posed for a picture along with then-Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

Salt Bae’s appearance at the World Cup final did not go down well.

One fan tweeted: “At least Messi knew not to give that guy trying to make THEIR moment about HIM any attention. Desperately grabbing Messi.”

Another wrote: “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.”

Whilst former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan blasted FIFA’s decision to let Salt Bae on the pitch.

He said on talkSPORT: “It defies convention, it breaks protocol.

“It looks like cronyism, it smells like cronyism, it walks and talks like cronyism, so guess what it is? It’s bleeding cronyism.

“It’s unprofessional. There's no place for him. He shouldn't have been on the pitch.”