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      Edinson Cavani and fellow Uruguay stars could face ‘6-month BAN’ from Fifa over behaviour following World Cup exit

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      URUGUAY stars are reportedly facing a six-month ban from Fifa for their behaviour following their exit from the World Cup.The South American team was knocked out of the tournament without even making it past the group stage.
      Uruguay players could be banned for their behaviour after being knocked out of the World CupCredit: EPA
      Edinson Cavani knocked over a VAR monitor during the protestsCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      Uruguay beat Ghana 2-0 in their final match, but it was not enough to qualify for the knockout stages as South Korea beat Portugal to claim the second qualifying spot on goals scored.
      And many of the team’s players did not take their exit well, with Jose Gimenez and Edinson Cavani the most vocal with their heavy complaints to the officials.
      Former Manchester United striker Cavani was even spotted knocking over the VAR monitor in his protest over the outcome.
      Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and defender Deigo Godin were also heavily involved.
      READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP
      The footballers could now be sanctioned for breaking articles 11 and 12, for which the punishment could be “the prohibition of carrying out activities related to football for at least six months”, according to AS.
      Article 12 relates to the “Improper conduct of players and officials”.
      Uruguayan newspaper El País has said that Fifa has up to January 9 to present the allegations.
      The penalty that could be imposed on the players would range from between ten to 15 games.
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      Cavani and Gimenez’s clubs, Valencia and Atletico Madrid, are confident that their players would still be able to play as the punishment would “only the matches actually played by the corresponding team will be computed for the purposes of executing the suspension”.
      This means that they would potentially be banned from playing for Uruguay.
      However, if Fifa judges their behaviour to be public incitement to “hate or violence”, then they could be sanctioned with a ban on football-related activities for at least six months. More

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      Lionel Messi offered $1MILLION for bisht he wore to lift World Cup trophy by Omani lawyer

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      A LAWYER has offered Lionel Messi $1MILLION for the bisht he wore while lifting the World Cup. Ahmed Al Barwani, a lawyer and member of parliament in Oman, made the huge offer in the hopes of keeping the historic clothing in the Middle East.
      Lionel Messi was given a special bisht after winning the World CupCredit: Getty
      Messi lifted the World Cup wearing the bishtCredit: Getty
      Taking to Twitter, he said: “From the Sultanate of Oman I congratulate you for winning the World Cup Qatar 2022…
      “The Arabic bisht, a symbol of chivalry and wisdom. I’m offering you a million dollars (£829,000) in return for that bisht.”
      A bisht, which is the robe Messi was presented with just before he lifted the Jules Rimet, is a traditional men’s cloak in the Arab world often donned by high-status individuals.
      The wearing of a bisht is reserved for special occasions, and is viewed as a sign of appreciation and respect.
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      Al Barwani also revealed his intentions with the robe.
      He told The National: “I was at the stadium watching that moment live when the Emir of Qatar gave Messi the bisht.
      “This moment told the world that we are here, and this is our culture, please know it well.
      “It will be displayed to commemorate that moment of pride, and to help us relive it, and to also remind us that we can (do anything).”
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      Following the final it was revealed that the bisht Messi wore cost £1,650.
      Furthermore, two of the special robes were made for Messi and rival captain Hugo Lloris in the event that France came out victorious instead of Argentina.
      Qatar-based tailor Muhammad Abdullah Al-Salem was responsible for making the items of clothing.
      On making them, he said: “At first, we were not aware when we were asked to design this bisht that it was for the World Cup champion.
      “We were surprised that the bisht that Messi wore was from our store, and I felt proud when my knowledge is that our store was the first choice of officials to manufacture this bisht.” More

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      Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag will NOT let World Cup heartache get in way of Premier League fight for top four spot

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      ERIK TEN HAG will not let the World Cup become an excuse for any of his stars not hitting the ground running when the scrap for a top four slot resumes.Ten Hag had 13 players in Qatar – only champions Manchester City, with 16, had more – and the United boss feared it would bring his rebuilding plans to a grinding halt.
      Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag does not want his players to dwell on the World CupCredit: Getty
      Marcus Rashford was one of 13 Red Devils players at Qatar for the tournamentCredit: Reuters
      Yet that doesn’t mean the Dutchman will accept anything but a flying start when they get back to domestic action against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
      And that includes centre back Lisandro Martinez, who has spent the past few days celebrating Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
      Ten Hag insisted: “We all knew the restart was five or six days after the final, and everyone has to be ready and accept it.
      “The manager and coaching staff of course, but also the players – they have to accept it as well if they want trophies.
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      “We spoke about the tough competition but we have to be ready for that and deal with it. We have to do it smart and hopefully get the right performance and results.
      “We have a plan for all the players, and it’s all individual based. No one is the same or has the same programme or minutes. It depends on the positions and their age.”
      Martinez and French defender Rafa Varane are the only two players still to return to training after being in Qatar for the duration of the tournament.
      Both will be assessed before ten Hag decides if either will feature against Forest, and his selection is also dependent on Harry Maguire recovering from illness.
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      Ten Hag added: “I don’t know yet. I couldn’t answer. Martinez is still celebrating in Argentina, and I can understand that.
      “Winning the World Cup for your country is the highest you can be – but he also has to accept that on the 27th the Premier League comes back.”
      United return to Prem action one place outside the Champions League slot, albeit with a game in hand on Tottenham.
      Ten Hag knows a top four finish is the minimum requirement and crucial if he hopes to attract the world’s best players to Old Trafford in the summer.
      It means the United gaffer is arguably under more pressure than any of his peers to command a place at Europe’s top table – yet it is a burden he relishes.
      He admitted: “I accept how it is, I accept that pressure. But also for the manager of Chelsea, of Newcastle United, those clubs who have invested a lot in their squad.
      “It’s big pressure for all of us to get into the top four. We want to be in there and fighting for trophies – that’s our aim.
      “We are aware the competition is tough but that also counts for the seven or eight clubs fighting for the top four.
      “For anyone watching the Premier League, it is great for them, it’s very exciting for them. I am looking at the process of how we are performing.
      “Of course, we have to get the results as well but the process is right, we are making progress, and I think we have a good opportunity and a good chance to make that top four.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Meanwhile, United are already drawing up plans for next summer’s pre-season tour, which will almost certainly be to America.
      Final details are still to be confirmed, but they are set to return to the States for the first time since 2018, with the West Coast the likely destination. 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.
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      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.
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      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.
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      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.
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      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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      Topless Argentina fan reveals REAL reason behind World Cup stunt after vid shows her being ‘kicked off’ Qatar beach

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      THE Argentina fan who went topless at the World Cup final has revealed the real reason behind the stunt after she claims she was kicked off a beach in Qatar.Noemi Gomez went viral after she risked jail when she stripped off on TV to celebrate her country’s win over France.
      Noe claims she was kicked off a beach in Qatar for being a womanCredit: Instagram
      She went viral for stripping off at the World Cup finalCredit: Canalpais
      The two pals getting ready before the finalCredit: Instagram – @ noe.dreams1
      The footie fan and her pal Milu Barbiie were reportedly escorted out of Lusail Stadium by officials after they showed off their breasts which breaks strict laws in Qatar.
      Their antic sparked fears the two women could have been thrown into prison but on Monday Noe revealed she fled to Europe.
      It is not clear which country she is in, but her pal Milu filmed herself walking in Madrid earlier this week.
      Taking it to Instagram, the Argentina fan- known as Noe Dreams- revealed that she was actually celebrating topless in response to her being kicked off a beach “for being a woman.”
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      Sharing a video from the beach she wrote in the caption: “The moment they kicked me out of a beach in Qatar for being a woman…how could I not celebrate topless?”
      The clip shows a group of people at a beach speaking in Spanish while only her legs are visible- in military trousers and sandals.
      It appears that a security guard has a conversation with some of the men in the group and asks for her to leave the premises but it is unclear why.
      The mysterious row at the beach comes after her latest post, where she posed by the pool in a bikini with the caption “Hola campeones” – hello champions.
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      Noemi, who models for Argentinian retail brand Destino Pink, and her pal have referred to themselves as The Topless Girls after being filmed with their tops off amid the wild celebrations.
      Despite the initial fears, Noe revealed that the pair are safe and well as she shared footage of herself flashing with her growing fanbase.
      Noe previously revealed they had agreed to go topless if Argentina won and “had to keep our promise” despite the risk of jail.
      The two fans celebrated their country’s win toplessCredit: Instagram – @noe.dreams1
      The Argentina fan posing by the poolCredit: Instagram More

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      Man Utd fans all say the same thing as Lisandro Martinez poses in sunglasses with Argentina stars after World Cup party

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      MANCHESTER UNITED fans have all been left saying the same thing after Lisandro Martinez appeared worse for wear in his latest snap.Martinez has been busy celebrating Argentina’s World Cup victory while club football returned.
      Lisandro Martinez appeared a little worse for wear in his World Cup celebrationsCredit: https://twitter.com/LisandrMartinez/status/1606030068274278401/photo/1
      Fans have begged Martinez to come back to Old TraffordCredit: Getty
      The 24-year-old shared a picture of himself in sunglasses sitting at a table alongside Cristian Romero and Nahuel Molina.
      He captioned the image: “Many ended up like this, right? 😂🏆”
      But while Martinez is nursing a World Cup hangover after beating France on penalties, Erik ten Hag’s United team had to get back to business in club football.
      The Red Devils got back underway with a 2-0 win against Burnley in the Carabao Cup, with a stunning Marcus Rashford run the highlight of the night.
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      However, with just ONE first-team centre-back fit, United were forced to deploy Brazilian Casemiro as a makeshift defender.
      And United fans were left begging Martinez to return to Old Trafford in time for the match against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
      One user said: “Get back to Manchester, Champ.”
      A second user said: “We need you bro before Forest…
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      “Sorry to interrupt but Casemiro can’t keep on playing on the back line we lack balance in the midfield with McTominay in so please Licha, lets get back to the club.”
      A third added: “LICHA congratulations once again but please you need to come back to Manchester 🙏🏾”
      “Brother come back you have celebrated enough,” pleaded another.
      Forest represent a team Ten Hag’s side should be picking all three points in, but with the World Cup disrupting the season it could end up being the reset their opponents need to finally pick up some form. 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.
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      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.
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      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