Celebrity chef Salt Bae banned from esteemed football tournament after World Cup fiasco

Celebrity chef Salt Bae found himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons during the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The chef was seen approaching seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi for a picture during Argentina’s post-match celebrations after their World Cup final win over France. However, the Argentina captain seemed least interested in the celebrity chef and was spotted brutally banking Salt Bae.

Meanwhile, the chef has now been banned from a major soccer tournament in the US, due to his actions in the aftermath of Argentina’s World Cup win.  US soccer’s National Championship, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup announced on Wednesday that the chef has been banned from the 2023 Open Cup final. “Salt Bae is hereby banned from the 2023 @opencup Final,” US Open Cup wrote on Twitter.

Watch: Lionel Messi gets annoyed by Salt Bae after Argentina's World Cup triumph

During Argentina’s World Cup win celebration at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, the cameras captured the uncomfortable moment when the 35-year-old Argentine great was visibly frustrated due to Salt Bae. The chef was seen approaching Messi on two occasions but was left blank instead. Upon insisting further, Messi gave up and posed for a selfie with an irritated look.

Salt Bae faces heavy criticism for illegally laying hands on the FIFA World Cup trophy

Football fans on social media lashed out at Salt Bae for invading the privacy of the Argentine players while they were celebrating their World Cup win. He reportedly went against the rules by laying hands on the coveted World Cup trophy. FIFA’s rule books state that only a select group of individuals, including the winners and the heads of state, are allowed to touch the trophy. Here's how the football fans reacted to Salt Bae's actions at the World Cup.

Salt Bae converses with World Cup-winning Argentina players; Watch

Alongside Messi, Salt Bae was also spotted conversing with Angel Di Maria. Football fans were particularly irked after the chef posted a video on his Instagram handle, where he can be seen snatching the World Cup trophy out of the hands of Argentine footballer Cristian Romero. Here’s a look at the videos shared by Salt Bae.