Who's the real Messi?

During the last game between Iran and Argentina at the World Cup in 2014, Messi's 91st-minute goal robbed the Islamic republic of a place in the last 16.

Reza's dad was furious.

'After the game, my dad called me and said, "Don't come back home tonight— why did you score a goal against Iran?"

'I said: "But that wasn't me!"

Yes, it wasn't him. But Reza Parastesh's resemblance to Lionel Messi is so uncanny that some leading news outlets have reportedly used his photo when talking about the real Messi.

The furore began a few months ago when Reza's football-mad father pressured the 25-year-old into posing in a number 10 Barcelona jersey.

They sent the pictures off to a sports website, and got an immediate reply asking him to drop in to see them.

'I sent them one night and by the morning they had called me and said I should come in quickly for an interview,' he said.

Despite his early reluctance, Reza soon grew into his new role, cutting his hair like Messi and often donning the Barca jersey when he goes out.

It has paid off— he is fully booked with media interviews and has even landed modelling contracts.

'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.'

Iranians are obsessed with football, and Reza finds himself constantly besieged by fans looking for a selfie. He now learns football tricks just to be more like Messi.

MailOnline