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'Awks!' - Lionel Messi isn't fooled in front of wife Antonella Roccuzzo as magician Julius Dein shows him iPhone camera light trick

World football's number one magician, Lionel Messi, was too sharp to fall for some wizardry at a charity gala in Paris.

Star unimpressed at iPhone trick
'I know that one'
Card tricks go down better

WHAT HAPPENED? Messi and his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, were being shown a range of tricks by British conjurer Julius Dein at the Strong3r Foundation event on the capital's Champs Elysees. But the illusionist's attempt to wow the couple by grabbing Messi's iPhone and appearing to drag the light into his mouth fell flat when the World Cup-winner bluntly stated that he knew the trick already.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Luckily, Dein's card tricks went down a little better. And the publicity is likely to help rather than hinder the Londoner, who has a following of nearly 12 million on TikTok.

Next Match

WHAT NEXT FOR LIONEL MESSI? The Argentine will be hoping to have Nantes under his spell in Ligue 1 on Saturday but will have to conjure up some vintage Messi magic to give his PSG side any chance of reversing a first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday night.