Fact Check: Is this a video of fans welcoming Messi to Paris?
After spending over two decades with Barcelona, Lionel Messi bid a tearful goodbye to the football club earlier this week.
By Tejal Sinha Published on 16 Aug 2021 5:37 AM GMT
Hyderabad: After spending over two decades with Barcelona, Lionel Messi bid a tearful goodbye to the football club earlier this week. On 10 August, Messi signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Following this, a photo reportedly showing hundreds of fans waiting for Messi at the Paris airport has gone viral on social media.
Fact Check
The claim is false.
NewsMeter performed a Google reverse image search of the viral image which directed us to a report by AP news published on 4 August 2021. The report was titled "COVID-19 cases could be linked to Bucks' championship run".
The same video was also published on the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official YouTube channel on 21 July. The title said the video is from Deer District in Wisconsin, USA.
Lastly, we found videos of Messi's welcome at the ParisāLe Bourget airport. However, these are different from the viral video circulating online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNhBGJ9xH4c
Hence, the claim that the viral video shows fans gathered at Paris airport to welcome Messi is false.
