Apart from Argentina's players and officials celebrating their victory after the FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, there was another well-known face on the field who had nothing to do with the game or Argentina.
The prized World Cup trophy, which was briefly presented to the winning players during the closing ceremony, was held in the hands of the suit-booted man as he posed for pictures and even managed to get his hands on it.
According to FIFA regulations, no one unrelated to the winner may hold the trophy, but the man not only did that while posing for photos and sprinkling salt on it and even kissing it, but he also held the trophy.
He then held the footballers' gold medal in his teeth in front of the camera, looking every bit at the victorious Olympian.
There is a perception that he is being supported in doing all of this by FIFA officials, football players, and friends.
This individual is none other than Salt Bay, a well-known Turkish chef whose real name is Nusrat Nokia. However, these images and videos of him have sparked a fresh debate.
Salt Bay and others' use of the pitch is the subject of a FIFA investigation.
FIFA is looking into claims that Salt Bay and other unrelated parties had "unnecessary access" to the playing surface.
The World Cup trophy can only be held by members of a specific group, which includes the champions of the competition, FIFA officials, and heads of state.
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Following a review, FIFA is attempting to determine how specific individuals gained access to the pitch during the closing ceremony at Lucille Stadium on December 18, which was inappropriate, according to a statement provided to BBC Sport.
Moreover, "appropriate internal action" will be taken in this regard, according to a FIFA spokesperson.
The luxury eateries owned by Salt Bay serve their brand of steak in locations all over the world. In 2017, he rose to fame and became a popular internet meme as a result of his distinctive steak-salting technique.
Football players like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham have all dined at his establishment.
He uploaded photos and videos on social media of himself and FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the World Cup in November and December. In one image, he is seated next to them in a VIP section alongside Cafu, Roberto Carlos, and Ronaldo, three football greats.
In the video, he gets to know FIFA President Salt Bay. He praises Salt Bay's eatery in a video and claims that "just as football united the world, Nusrat (Salt Bay) has united the world."
In a different video, Gianni introduces Salt Bay to several people, including the King of Malaysia, and remarks that "We're both vegetarians" at one point.
By the way, pictures of Lionel Messi with Salt Bay have been shared on their social media pages, but in some of those photos, Messi appears to be ignoring the Argentine players during their celebration. or simply perplexed.
"Who gave Salt Bay permission to keep the trophy?"
Salt Bay has come under fire from fans for copying his well-known trophy-holding, salt-sprinkling, and kissing gestures.
His Instagram photos have drawn criticism from a lot of users. One user commented, "You stole a trophy from a winner so you could get pictures and likes. Could you not tell he wasn't pleased about it?
Football fans naturally hold the trophy in high regard, so one user complained that the video's depiction of Salt Bay's ring striking the trophy was wholly inappropriate. Social media users are disturbed because they cannot comprehend their surroundings.
On social media, many users have posted questions about who authorized Salt Bay to keep the trophy there and why.
Salt Bay will be prohibited from participating in the Open Cup finals in 2023, according to a tweet from the American Football League Open Cup.
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