This is Iranian man Reza Parastesh. He is not Lionel Messi. We promise we’re not lying to you even after you see his photo.
This Messi lookalike is so convincing, police detained him to prevent chaos
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
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Paratesh had to be taken to a police station over the weekend after his appearance in the city of Hamadan caused complete chaos. So many people rushed the man, thinking he was the Barcelona star, that police impounded Paratesh’s car and took him to the police station to ensure the city would begin operating again.
It’s exactly what the man wanted.
The BBC reports that Paratesh’s life took a bizarre turn when his father convinced him to pose in a Messi jersey, because the two looked so similar. The resemblance was so striking that Paratesh has changed his life to live, and look, like Messi.
”Now people really see me as the Iranian Messi and want me to mimic everything he does. When I show up somewhere, people are really shocked.
“I’m really happy that seeing me makes them happy and this happiness gives me a lot of energy.”
He began cutting his hair and facial hair to look like the Argentinian superstar, and now he’s practicing his soccer skills to mimic the man as closely as possible.
ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
Honestly, could you tell the difference if you saw him on the street?
Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images
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