Would you eat a rib steak covered in gold sheets? What if it costs a few hundred dollars? For most people, it sounds ridiculous, but this is how French soccer player Frank Ribéry decided to start 2019.
On 3 January, the Bayern Munich striker posted on Instagram a video filmed at in Dubaï. It's the restaurant associated with Nusret Gökçe, .
The infamous Salt Bae is in the video with Ribéry, who wrote: "No better way to start the year than with a dash of salt and a visit to my Turkish brother 🇹🇷👌🏼 🤲🏽♥️ ". We can see Gökçe cut the rib steak covered in gold for Ribéry, and the soccer player imitating the chef by salting the meat.
Seen over 2 million times, the video shocked many people online, including French journalist Audrey Pulvar. She wrote: "Mister Franck Ribéry, if you don't know what to do with your money, there are many causes needing support and money around the world".
Ribéry defended himself, using colourful language. He wrote that he could spend his money however he wanted and that journalists were only focusing on stories like this and not the good things he does.
Ribéry seems to have calmed down since first reacting. He wrote that he was back in training with the Bayern Munich in preparation for the German Championship on 19 January.
