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      Fifa president Gianni Infantino ‘unfollows’ pal Salt Bae on Instagram after World Cup final pitch invasion

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      FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has unfollowed his pal Salt Bae in the wake of his shameful antics after the World Cup final.His snub came as the world governing body admitted the fame hungry chef should never have been allowed on the pitch to pester Lionel Messi.
      Fifa boss Gianni Infantino at Salt Bae’s restaurant in Doha last monthCredit: Saltbae Views
      Infantino and Salt Bae in the VIP box with Brazil legends Ronaldo, Cafu and Roberto CarlosCredit: Instagram
      Infantino has now unfollowed his friend on InstagramCredit: Instagram
      Fifa has admitted Salt Bae should not have been allowed to pester Argentina talisman Messi on the pitch
      The Turkish cook — real name Nusret Gökçe — has courted a years-long friendship with Fifa president Infantino.
      They have been pictured together several times, and the football chief has been gushing in his praise for the flamboyant Instagram star.
      During the World Cup, Infantino was filmed introducing Salt Bae to a series of VIPs including the King of Malaysia at a swanky official reception.
      The pair were also pictured together in a VIP box alongside Brazil legends Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Cafu.
      MORE ON SALT BAE
      Infantino also visited Gökçe’s Nusr-Et steakhouse in Doha where he was filmed giving the chef a hug.
      And he said: “Football unites the world and Nusret unites the world as well.”
      Infantino was also filmed imitating Salt Bae’s salt sprinkle gimmick in a cringe-worthy video at his Dubai restaurant in 2020.
      He gushed: “He is number one. The meat here is incredible.
      Most read in Football
      “Food is like football — it’s heart, it’s emotion, it’s love — all the ingredients we can find them here thanks to this man.”
      In another video in 2021 Infantino said: “Mr Nusret, number one. The best of the best. An unforgettable evening here in Dubai with Nusret. I’ll come back.
      “Legend, he’s a legend. Legend number one. Thank you very much.”
      Another snap shows Infantino grinning while holding up a Christmas jumper featuring Salt Bae in knitted form.
      And he was pictured in a Salt Bea branded apron and holding a slab of meat, apparently during a private cooking lesson.
      However the bromance seems to be over today after he unfollowed Salt Bae on Instagram.
      Infantino previously followed 303 accounts but now that is down to 302.
      And Salt Bae’s official account @nusr_et — with 49.9million followers — no longer comes up on his feed.
      It comes after Fifa last night finally responded to the embarrassing scenes on the pitch following Argentina’s nailbiting victory on Sunday night.
      Gökçe was seen grabbing Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      The chef — wearing a Fifa security pass — also muscled in on Argentina’s celebrations, snatched the trophy from one winner’s baby, and bit players’ medals.
      As well as spoiling the celebrations and annoying the champions, Gökçe also broke Fifa’s strict rules by pawing and kissing the trophy.
      Only a select group are allowed to handle the £17million gold icon including former winners and heads of state.
      The chef faced a furious backlash from his own fans over his attention seeking antics at the World Cup final.
      And Fifa was forced into a humiliating admission last night as fury over his conduct grew worldwide.
      It said Gökçe should not have been on the pitch and it will discipline staff as part of an official probe.
      The governing body said: “Following a review, Fifa has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail Stadium on December 18.
      “The appropriate internal action will be taken.”
      Fifa sources reportedly deny that Gökçe was personally invited on the pitch by Infantino himself.
      Salt Bae has also now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup, following the disgraceful scenes in Qatar.
      Organisers tweeted: “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.”
      The US Open Cup is a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments.
      Salt Bae has brushed off criticism of his conduct – and instead continued trying to show his closeness to football icons.
      He reposted an old video of him hugging Messi when he visited his Dubai steakhouse in 2018.
      Read More on The Sun
      And another vid shows his shrine to the late Diego Maradona with one table “permanently reserved”.
      That was despite Maradona ridiculing Salt Bae to his face with a hilarious dig at his “sprinkle” gesture.
      Salt Bae and Gianni Infantino have been pals for yearsCredit: Instagram
      Infantino introduced Salt Bae to VIPs at a reception in Qatar last weekCredit: Instagram
      Infantino performs the ‘sprinkle’ at Salt Bae’s Dubai steak house in 2020Credit: Instagram
      Fifa has launched a probe into how Salt Bae gatecrashed Argentina’s World Cup celebrations
      He finally got a selfie with Lionel Messi but should not have been on the pitchCredit: instagram
      Salt Bae was pictured pawing the trophy in breach of Fifa’s strict rulesCredit: instagram More

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      Inside Salt Bae £40m fortune after dropping out of school to set up string of ‘rip off’ restaurants selling £1k steaks

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      NUSRET Gökçe went from humble beginnings to running a global restaurant empire and a personal fortune estimated at more than £40million.The former butcher’s apprentice – known as Salt Bae to his 50million Instagram followers – now enjoys a glam lifestyle with private jet flights and a reputed £1million car collection.
      Pricey steak merchant Salt Bae has an estimated £40million fortuneCredit: Refer to Caption
      The £36million palace Nusret calls home in Istanbul
      Salt Bae is said to have an incredible car collection worth £1millionCredit: Instagram/@nusr_et
      But he came from humble origins as a butcher’s apprenticeCredit: Instagram
      This week he faced a storm of criticism after badgering Lionel Messi and grabbing the trophy from Argentina players after the World Cup final.
      Fifa has admitted he should never have been allowed on the pitch and launched an official probe.
      But it comes after Gökçe made his fame and fortune by cosying up to footballers and celebrities.
      The fame hungry chef has posed alongside global stars from David Beckham, Kylian Mbappe and Conor McGregor to DJ Khaled and Leonardo DiCaprio.
      read more on salt bae
      Non VIPs also flock to his restaurants hoping for a pic with Salt Bae to share on Instagram.
      And they fork out up to £1,450 – as Gemma Collins did – for one of his Instagramable gold leaf steaks.
      Gökçe, 39, now has a chain of 22 Nusr-Et steakhouses around the world.
      His 15th, opened to great fanfare in Knightsbridge last year, made £7million in its first four months despite poor reviews.
      Most read in Football
      The eye-watering prices caused a storm when it emerged he charges £100 for a burger, £11 for Red Bull and £9 for water.
      One table of four spent £37,000 including £600 on baklava pastries and £5,000 on service.
      But his London staff are paid as little as £10.50 an hour – one third the cost of a salad.
      Meanwhile last month he caused fury by boasting how a group’s bill totalled £140,000 for a meal in Abu Dhabi.
      It is not clear how much of the money goes to Gökçe as the restaurants are owned by a holding company and may have other investors.
      However he is not shy of showing off his lavish lifestyle on the ‘gram.
      Pics show him stepping off private jets and in the back of limos.
      In 2019, he reportedly splashed out £36million to buy luxurious hotel Macka Palace in Istanbul.
      He is believed to live in a penthouse apartment and also opened another of his restaurants there.
      Announcing the landmark moment on Instagram, he said: “I had one dream which was to have my own restaurant at my own hotel.
      “Thank God one of my biggest dreams is coming true.”
      Gökçe is also believed to have property in the UK and US and often posts pictures from a private pool in Beverly Hills and riding horses on a ranch..
      And he reportedly has an enviable supercar collection including three Rolls-Royces and a Lamborghini Hurracan. 
      It is a far cry from his childhood – which was reportedly so poor he had to drop out of school aged 12.
      Nusret’s rags-to-riches story began in a poverty-stricken suburb east of Instanbul, Turkey.
      He was one of five children whose miner father spent months away working.
      Speaking to The Times in 2019, Nusret said he often went to school wearing shoes and shirts that didn’t fit as his parents could afford anything else.  
      He claims his family took him out of school so he could help earn money and at 13 he was taken on as a butcher’s apprentice.
      He recalled: “I woke up at six o’clock, two hours on the train commute and 30 minutes after the train in the bus.
      “Then all day long, standing and working. No day off and no vacation.” 
      He also worked in steakhouses, washing dishes to work his way up from the bottom.  
      He told NBC in 2017: “Since I was 14, I worked more than 13 hours a day as a kitchen runner for a butcher.
      “I was always wishing and wishing to open up a restaurant.”
      Later he convinced a bank to lend him £2,500 so he could travel to Argentina to learn about the meat trade.
      After years when he claims he “worked for free” to gain experience, he returned to his home city Istanbul.
      And at the age of 27, he opened his first Nusr-Et steakhouse in 2010 with just eight tables and ten employees.
      Turkish tycoon Ferit Sahenk was so impressed he offered to invest, and helped Nusr-et launched outposts in Ankara and Dubai.
      Sexiest butcher on Instagram
      But his career did not really take off until a monster hit viral video of his now-famous “sprinkle” in January 2017.
      A 36-second Instagram video called Ottoman Steak showed Gökçe theatrically slicing steak at a table.
      Then holding his hand in a “cobra” pose he lets salt flow down his forearm to season the meat.
      Bruno Mars tweeted the video, which instantly went viral and earned Gökçe the title of “sexiest butcher on Instagram”.
      The gimmick also earned him the nickname Salt Bae – and millions of followers on Instagram.
      “All of my feelings are coming from inside of the meat, down to when I put the salt onto the meat,” he once explained.
      Success meant expansion in the US, with restaurants in Dallas, Boston, Beverly Hills and New York, as well as Mykonos in Greece.
      Celebrities including Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, DJ Khaled and Naomi Campbell flocked to the US outlets.
      And one Insta post shows Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio captivated as his tomahawk is showered with salt by the chef.
      Now at the height of his fame and success he is battling to recover his reputation after the embarrassing scenes in Qatar.
      Fifa boss Gianni Infantino – who previously showered praise on Salt Bae – has unfollowed him on social media.
      The row has also seen him banned by a US sporting event next year.
      Read More on The Sun
      He has tried to shrug off the controversy and last night posted bizarre videos of himself flexing his muscles in the gym in Dubai.
      He also posted a photo of himself as a 12-year-old, harking back to his humble origins.
      Nusret holding a hunk of gold coated meat in Mykonos, where he has a restaurant
      Celebrity fans include David BeckhamCredit: Refer to Caption
      Nusret (centre) was born into poverty in Turkey
      The butcher’s apprenticeship set him on a path to success
      Salt Bae shot to fame with his signature sprinkleCredit: Instagram
      Nusret with his famous gold-covered steak – costing up to £1,450
      Salt Bae travels by private jet between restaurantsCredit: Instagram
      Nusret with the nine kids he called his “family”Credit: Instagram
      The chef in his Saltfather modeCredit: Instagram More

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      Salt Bae crashes Real Madrid Champions League victory party and grabs Ronaldo in resurfaced pics after Messi snub

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      SALT Bae is seen gatecrashing Real Madrid’s Champions League winning party in resurfaced images.The celebrity chef has found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after being allowed onto the pitch following the World Cup final and badgering Lionel Messi for a selfie.
      Salt Bae posing with Cristiano Ronaldo after the 2018 Champions League
      The chef and Sergio Ramos miming his salt sprinkling routine
      He characteristically gets his hands on the trophy
      FIFA is investigating how he was able to pose with Lionel MessiCredit: https://www.instagram.com/nusr_et/?hl=en
      The Turkish cook and Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – was seen even touch the winning trophy, against strict regulations.
      FIFA has been forced to make a humiliating admission that he should never have been on the pitch in the first place.
      But it’s not the first time the fame hungry chef has tried to muscle in on footballers’ celebrations.
      After Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League in Kyiv back in the 2018, Salt Bae was seen in video posing with Cristiano Ronaldo.
      READ MORE ON SALT BAE
      He was also spotted with Sergio Ramos with the pair miming the chef’s distinctive salt sprinkling arm action.
      And in a foretaste of what was to come, he even gets his hands on the Champions League trophy.
      The images finish with Madrid defender Marcelo also doing the routine, while Salt Bae gives a thumbs-up to the camera.
      Footage showed the chef pestering the Argentina squad as they celebrated their cup glory with their families after the nailbiting shootout.
      Most read in Football
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      Bae’s persistence paid off as he finally got a selfie with the striker hailed the greatest of all time.
      The chef was also seen forcing himself into lineups with other stars as they clutched the famous golden trophy.
      He has now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup.
      Action will be taken against staff who allowed him access after social media footage showed his cringeworthy exchanges with players including Lionel Messi, who did his best to avoid Salt Bae.
      In a series of videos posted on his own Instagram, the steakhouse magnate interrupted the likes of Angel di Maria, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez as they posed with the World Cup, leaving the trio looking awkward.
      Fifa is conducting an internal investigation to see how the chef got onto the pitch.
      He has no commercial relationship with Fifa and was not invited onto the pitch by Gianni Infantino Sky Sports News reports.
      Read More on The Sun
      A spokesperson for Fifa said: “Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail Stadium on 18 December.
      “The appropriate internal action will be taken.” More

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      Shameless Salt Bae posts bizarre videos flexing his thigh muscles in cringey workouts after Messi’s World Cup final snub

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      SHAMELESS Salt Bae has shared bizarre videos flexing his thigh muscles in the gym days after Lionel Messi snubbed him at the World Cup.The fame hungry chef posted it online as Fifa finally admitted he should never have been allowed on the pitch.
      Salt Bae shows off his rippling thigh muscles in a cringe Instagram storyCredit: Instagram
      He posed in tiny red shorts at the gym in DubaiCredit: Instagram
      Salt Bae’s workout comes days after Lionel Messi snubbed him at the World CupCredit: Instagram
      Fifa has admitted he should have been allowed to pester the Argentina talisman on the pitch
      The Turkish cook and Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – has left Qatar and is now in Dubai, according to a series of Instagram stories posted overnight.
      Most show diners in his pricey steakhouse – but he is also seen crushing weights at the gym.
      Gökçe, 39, is seen wearing his trademark round sunglasses and tiny red shorts while showing off his rippling thighs.
      And the camera zooms in to show exactly how much weight he is lifting on each of the machines.
      MORE ON SALT BAE
      It comes after the chef faced a backlash from his own fans over his attention seeking antics at Sunday’s World Cup final.
      He was seen pestering Lionel Messi for a selfie in embarrassing scenes following Argentina’s nailbiting victory.
      Footage shows how he grabbed Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      Gökçe – wearing a Fifa security pass – also muscled in on players’ celebrations and snatched the trophy from one winner’s baby.
      Most read in Football
      As well as spoiling the celebrations and annoying the winners, Gökçe also broke Fifa’s strict rules.
      It says only a select group are allowed to handle the £17million gold trophy including former winners and heads of state.
      Fifa was forced into a humiliating admission last night as fury over his conduct grew worldwide.
      It said Gökçe should not have been on the pitch and it will discipline staff as part of an official probe.
      The governing body said: “Following a review, Fifa has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail Stadium on December 18.
      Salt Bae has also now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup, following the disgraceful scenes in Qatar.
      Organisers tweeted: “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.”
      The US Open Cup is a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments.
      Salt Bae has brushed off criticism of his conduct – and instead continued trying to show his closeness to football icons.
      He reposted an old video of him hugging Messi when he visited his Dubai steakhouse in 2018.
      Read More on The Sun
      And another vid shows his shrine to the late Diego Maradona with one table “permanently reserved”.
      That was despite Maradona ridiculing Salt Bae to his face with a hilarious dig at his “sprinkle” gesture.
      The chef has left Qatar and is now working at his steakhouse in DubaiCredit: Instagram
      Fifa has launched a probe into how Salt Bae gatecrashed the World Cup celebrations
      He finally got a selfie with Lionel Messi but should not have been on the pitchCredit: instagram
      Salt Bae was pictured pawing the trophy in breach of Fifa’s strict rulesCredit: instagram More

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      FIFA forced into humiliating admission over Salt Bae after celeb-chasing chef’s World Cup pitch invasion to pester Messi

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      FIFA has been forced to make a humiliating admission about Salt Bae crashing the World Cup final.It said the famous chef, who was pictured pestering Argentinian players after their win against France should not have been on the pitch.
      Salt Bae was pictured holding the trophy against Fifa’s strict rulesCredit: instagram
      The chef was pictured pestering the players for a selfieCredit: instagram
      Fifa is conducting an internal investigation into how Salt Bae gatecrashed the World Cup closing ceremony
      Salt Bae also badgered Lionel Messi after the game
      The Turkish cook and Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – was seen trying to get a selfie with the players and even touch the winning trophy- against strict regulations.
      According to Fifa’s guidelines, only World Cup winners and heads of state are allowed to touch the trophy.
      It states on its website “As one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the original FIFA World Cup Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and heads of state.”
      Now Fifa is conducting an internal investigation to see how the chef got onto the pitch as he has no commercial relationship with Fifa and was not invited onto the pitch by Gianni Infantino Sky Sports News reports.
      MORE ON SALT BAE
      A spokesperson for Fifa said: “Following a review, FIFA has been establishing how individuals gained undue access to the pitch after the closing ceremony at Lusail Stadium on 18 December. The appropriate internal action will be taken.”
      Footage showed the chef pestering the Argentina squad as they celebrated their cup glory with their families after the nailbiting shootout.
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      Bae’s persistence paid off as he finally got a selfie with the striker hailed the greatest of all time.
      Most read in Sport
      The chef was also seen forcing himself into lineups with other stars as they clutched the famous golden trophy.
      He has now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup.
       Action will be taken against staff who allowed him access after social media footage showed his cringeworthy exchanges with players including Lionel Messi, who did his best to avoid Salt Bae.
      In a series of videos posted on his own Instagram, the steakhouse magnate interrupted the likes of Angel di Maria, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez as they posed with the World Cup, leaving the trio looking awkward.
      Salt Bae’s actions sparked fury among football fans.
      It comes after he was banned from attending a US sporting event after his behavior at the final.
      The US Open Cup tweeted: “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.”
      The US Open Cup is a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments.
      Read More on The Sun
      It’s not known whether Salt Bae had the 2023 event on his radar.
      But now the decision has been taken out of his hands by the tournament chiefs. More

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      Salt Bae posts unrecognisable throwback photo as a fresh-faced 12-year-old without his trademark sunglasses

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      SALT Bae shared a throwback photo from his childhood looking unrecognisable without his trademark sunglasses and slicked-back ponytail.The celebrity chef was pictured looking fresh-faced as a boy in 1995 without his signature props to hide behind.
      The celebrity chef looked unrecognisable in the throwback snap he sharedCredit: Alamy
      A young Salt Bae was seen looking fresh-faced as a 12-year-oldCredit: Instagram
      Salt Bae has sparked fury after invading the pitch as Argentina celebratedCredit: instagram
      The Turkish social media star – real name Nusret Gökçe – uploaded the adorable snap to his Instagram highlights.
      He was seen at the tender age of 12 sitting behind a cash register – forecasting his money-making career as a world-renowned restauranteur.
      The young Salt Bae sported his usual serious stare while posing in a white shirt paired with a matching cap.
      Gökçe simply captioned the snap: “Salt Bae 1995.”
      READ MORE ON SALT BAE
      Fans of the controversial Nusr-et frontman hardly recognised him without his signature shades and perfectly groomed ponytail.
      The fame hungry chef seems to be digging old throwbacks to quell the controversy surrounding his World Cup antics.
      He posted an old video of him hugging Lionel Messi from their only known previous meeting in 2018 after the Argentinian star snubbed him on the pitch.
      Messi and his wife dined at Gökçe’s steakhouse in Dubai before embracing after chowing down an extortionate meal.
      Most read in World Cup 2022
      But Salt Bae’s 50million Instagram followers branded it “cringe” and accused him of a desperate attempt to prove he is pals with Messi after getting the cold shoulder days earlier.
      The outlandish chef was seen badgering the superstar as he revelled in Argentina’s World Cup win.
      He grabbed Messi’s arm repeatedly until the footie ace finally relented and posed for a picture.
      The fury continued after he posted pics on Instagram of him holding the 18-carat gold trophy – a privilege reserved for the winning team and heads of state.
      Salt Bae muscled in among the squad to grab the limelight and even snatched the trophy from Cristian Romero’s baby.
      He then acted out his trademark salt-sprinkling trick over the £17million award as irritated players watched on in confusion.
      It seems Salt Bae had worked up an appetite with his embarrassing antics – as he took a chunk out of Franco Armani’s winner’s medal.
      Gökçe looked like he was craving one of his extortionate gold-encrusted steaks as he gnawed at the goalkeeper’s award.
      He posed with the medal between his teeth while it was still tethered around Armani’s neck in the awkward snap.
      Other images show him boldly grabbing Argentinian players’ medals just moments after they had been awarded them.
      Influencer Dan Bilzerian even spoke out amid the controversy, claiming Gökçe has been harassing him for years.
      The “King of Instagram” said he knew the chef was “weird” after he bombarded him with wacky pictures of himself.
      The disgraceful spectacle reportedly broke Fifa’s rules and saw BBC host Gary Lineker brand him a “pest.”
      Fifa has now launched an internal investigation into how Salt Bae invaded the pitch at the World Cup Final.
      Gökçe is said to be pals with controversial Fifa chief Infantino, who praised him as “number one” after visiting his Qatar steak house during the tournament.
      He was filmed saying: “Football unites the world and Nusrat unites the world as well.”
      If he was given “access all areas” accreditation, that would open the governing body to allegations of cronyism or special treatment for Infantino’s friends, reports The Times.
      The controversy prompted footage of Diego Maradona mocking the Nusr-Et tycoon’s gimmick right in front of him to resurface.
      The Argentinian legend poked fun at Sat Bae during a visit to one of his restaurants in 2018.
      But the chef bit back with another publicity stunt – by sharing a video showing a “permanently reserved” table as a shrine to the late and great footballer.
      Former Brazil striker Ronaldo and left back Roberto Carlos – world cup winners in 2002 – enjoyed a slap-up meal at his Qatar branch on November 28.
      Current squad players Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Éder Militão and Bremer also joined the party after they beat Switzerland.
      England’s Jack Grealish, Poland ace Robert Lewandowski and the Spanish team also visited during the tournament.
      Read More on The Sun
      Last month, Salt Bae sparked fury for boasting how a group racked up a bill for £140,584 at his diner in Abu Dhabi.
      A single steak from the evening was over £1,000, and the group spent almost £115,000 on wine alone.
      Fans of the social media star could hardly recognise him without his signature sunglasses and ponytailCredit: Social Media
      Salt Bae has undergone an incredible transformation since his younger yearsCredit: Instagram More

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      Salt Bae savaged again as more pictures emerge of him grabbing and BITING World Cup winner medal after Argentina victory

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      SALT Bae has been savaged online again after more pictures emerged showing him BITING a World Cup winner’s medal. The fame-hungry restauranteur has been ridiculed after invading the pitch and stealing Argentina’s spotlight as they celebrated their victory.
      Salt Bae was pictured taking a chunk out of the medal tethered to Argentina’s Franco ArmaniCredit: Instagram
      Social media users compared the chef’s stunt to one of Homer Simpson’s blunders
      He was seen eyeing up Leandro Paredes’ medal moments after the player was awarded itCredit: Instagram
      Salt Bae has sparked fury after breaking Fifa etiquette by handling the World Cup trophyCredit: instagram
      Players were forced to humour the Turkish chef as he gatecrashed the special moment in true Salt Bae style.
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      The Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – then snatched the 18-carat gold trophy from Cristian Romero’s baby.
      The irritated squad were then forced to endure watching the celebrity chef perform his trademark salt-sprinkling trick over the £17million cup.
      READ MORE ON SALT BAE
      It seems Salt Bae had worked up an appetite with his embarrassing antics – as he then took a chunk out of Franco Armani’s winner’s medal.
      Gökçe looked like he was craving one of his extortionate gold-encrusted steaks as he gnawed at the goalkeeper’s award.
      He posed with the medal between his teeth while it was still tethered around Armani’s neck in the awkward snap.
      Other images show him boldly grabbing Argentinian players’ medals just moments after they had been awarded them.
      Most read in World Cup 2022
      Armani, who didn’t play a single minute in the World Cup, thankfully appeared unphased by Salt Bae’s intrusive stunt.
      But the image reignited fury on social media regarding his bizarre presence on the pitch badgering the champions.
      One user even compared the thoughtless chef to Homer Simpson in a hilarious meme.
      They twinned Gökçe’s picture with one of the infamous cartoon character being handed the key to Springfield – with teeth marks on it.
      The loveable fool then tells Mayor Quimby: “I thought there was chocolate inside!”
      People proceeded to flood the comment section with some choice words for Salt Bae.
      One wrote: “What an idiot. Trying to make it all about him.”
      Another joked: “He probably thought it was one of his overpriced burgers.”
      And a third fumed: “That’s what you get when the internet makes some random talentless person famous.”
      Influencer Dan Bilzerian even spoke out amid the controversy, claiming Gökçe has been harassing him for years.
      The “King of Instagram” said he knew the chef was “weird” after he bombarded him with wacky pictures of himself.
      But others suggested he was simply teasing the players, as in Turkish culture brides often bite gold coins gifted for their wedding to check they are real.
      Salt Bae was slammed after posting a series of boastful pictures on Instagram of him holding the World Cup trophy – a privilege reserved for the winning team and heads of state.
      The disgraceful spectacle reportedly broke Fifa’s rules and saw BBC host Gary Lineker brand him a “pest.”
      Fifa has now launched an internal investigation into how Salt Bae invaded the pitch at the World Cup Final.
      Gökçe is said to be pals with controversial Fifa chief Infantino, who praised him as “number one” after visiting his Qatar steak house during the tournament.
      He was filmed saying: “Football unites the world and Nusrat unites the world as well.”
      If he was given “access all areas” accreditation, that would open the governing body to allegations of cronyism or special treatment for Infantino’s friends, reports The Times.
      The controversy prompted footage of Diego Maradona mocking the Nusr-Et tycoon’s gimmick right in front of him to resurface.
      The Argentinian legend poked fun at Sat Bae during a visit to one of his restaurants in 2018.
      But the chef bit back with another publicity stunt – by sharing a video showing a “permanently reserved” table as a shrine to the late and great footballer.
      Former Brazil striker Ronaldo and left back Roberto Carlos – world cup winners in 2002 – enjoyed a slap-up meal at his Qatar branch on November 28.
      Current squad players Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Éder Militão and Bremer also joined the party after they beat Switzerland.
      England’s Jack Grealish, Poland ace Robert Lewandowski and the Spanish team also visited during the tournament.
      Last month, Salt Bae sparked fury for boasting how a group racked up a bill for £140,584 at his diner in Abu Dhabi.
      A single steak from the evening was over £1,000, and the group spent almost £115,000 on wine alone.
      Read More on The Sun
      Salt Bae, a former butcher from Turkey, became famous for his crowd-pleasing gimmick of sprinkling salt down his elbow after slicing steak at the table.
      He now has 50million Instagram followers and an empire of 22 steakhouses around the world flogging gold wrapped beef at eye-watering prices.
      Lionel Messi finally gave in and posed for a selfie with the celebrity chefCredit: instagram
      He riled players by performing his signature salt-sprinkling trickCredit: Twitter – @@JCUStreaks10
      Salt Bae was seen cruelly snatching the trophy away from Cristian Romero’s babyCredit: Twitter – @@JCUStreaks10 More

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      FIFA ‘launches probe’ into how Salt Bae gatecrashed World Cup closing ceremony – with ‘action to be taken against staff’

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      FIFA is conducting an internal investigation to find out how Salt Bae gatecrashed the World Cup final.The famous chef, 39, was pictured with bemused Argentinian players on the pitch holding the trophy after their win on penalties against France in Qatar.
      FIFA is conducting an internal investigation into how Salt Bae gatecrashed the World Cup closing ceremony
      Salt Bae also badgered Lionel Messi after the game
      The Turkish cook and Instagram star – real name Nusret Gökçe – was seen wearing a Fifa VIP badge round his neck on Sunday night.
      Footage shows him pestering the Argentina squad as they celebrated their cup glory with their families after the nailbiting shootout.
      He was seen grabbing hold of Lionel Messi by the shoulder at least twice as the baffled megastar tried to shrug him off.
      Bae’s persistence paid off as he finally got a selfie with the striker hailed the greatest of all time.
      MORE ON SALT BAE
      The chef was also seen forcing himself into lineups of other stars as they clutched the famous golden trophy.
      He has now been barred from attending The US Open Cup, the equivalent of England’s FA Cup.
      Now FIFA is said to be conducting an internal investigation to see how the chef got onto the pitch as he has no commercial relationship with FIFA and was not invited onto the pitch by Gianni Infantino.
       Action will be taken against staff who allowed him access after social media footage showed his cringeworthy exchanges with players including Lionel Messi, who did his best to avoid Salt Bae.
      Most read in Sport
      In a series of videos posted on his own Instagram, the steakhouse magnate interrupted the likes of Angel di Maria, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez as they posed with the World Cup, leaving the trio looking awkward.
      Gokce is known to be a close friend of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and actually breached the world governing body’s strict regulations regarding who is allowed to touch the World Cup trophy.
      “Its current design dates back to 1974,” FIFA’s website reads.
      “As one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world and a priceless icon, the original FIFA World Cup Trophy can only be touched and held by a very select group of people, which includes former winners of the FIFA World Cup and heads of state.”
      Salt Bae’s actions sparked fury among football fans.
      It comes after he was banned from attending a US sporting event after his behavior at the final.
      The US Open Cup tweeted: “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 US Open Cup final.”
      The US Open Cup is a knockout competition featuring teams from the MLS as well as other domestic tournaments.
      Read More on The Sun
      It’s not known whether Salt Bae had the 2023 event on his radar.
      But now the decision has been taken out of his hands by the tournament chiefs. More