Football fans in Vietnam were thrilled by an unexpected cameo from Argentine football great Lionel Messi in a music video (MV) by Vietnamese singer Jack.

Jack unveiled a music video named ‘Tu noi toi sinh ra,’ translated literally as ‘From my place of birth,' on Thursday evening.

'Tu noi toi sinh ra' is a reggaeton song which depicts Jack’s journey from a young boy in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region to his adulthood as a star. 

Jack has long been a passionate football enthusiast and Messi fan. 

In the video, he meets the football star in France. 

He then revisits his hometown and shares his love of football with local children. 

Messi makes his entrance at the 2:29 mark in the music video. 

Jack and the Argentine forward shared an embrace, exchanged greetings, patted each other’s shoulders, and engaged in a brief conversation during Messi’s modest four-second cameo in the MV. 

As per information provided by Jack during a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Jack traveled to Paris, France on May 11 for a pre-arranged meeting with Messi. 

“I’m terrible at English, so I started learning Spanish a few months before the trip,” Jack shared. 

“However, when I finally met my idol, I became so overwhelmed that I forgot everything.

“I ended up saying things that I can’t recall now, except for one phrase - the Spanish greeting ‘I’m very honored to meet you’. 

“Remarkably, he responded with the same greeting.”

This encounter was purely personal, aimed at obtaining autographs and capturing memorable videos, and was not a deliberate public appearance, Jack explained during the press conference.

The Vietnamese singer chose not to divulge additional details about the context or purpose of the meeting but mentioned that it involved a dinner.

Lionel Messi appears in Vietnamese singer Jack’s latest music video ‘Tu noi toi sinh ra.’

The meeting stirred a multitude of emotions within Jack, prompting him to transform the experience into a source of inspiration for his audience, particularly those who share a passion for football.

“I don’t view this creation as merely a music video, but rather as a means for me to cherish and safeguard moments with a living legend, as well as my personal journey toward defining my own life goals,” said Jack.

During the launch event for the MV on Thursday, the press inquired about how Jack’s team obtained permission to include Messi in the video, considering his status as a football superstar with substantial commercial value, making the usage of his image a complex matter.

Jack explained that, to include Messi’s image in the music video, Messi’s representative simply requested that no national or political topics be mentioned.

Furthermore, the music video is entirely non-commercial, with no monetization or sponsorships involved. 

Jack emphasized that he did not wish to highlight the financial aspect of inviting Messi to appear in the video, as he believed that such information could overshadow the message of the final product.

An Argentina national team jersey personally gifted to Vietnamese singer Jack by Lionel Messi is on display at the launch event for the music video 'Tu noi toi sinh ra' in Ho Chi Minh City, August 31, 2023. Photo: Mi Ly / Tuoi Tre

At the event, Jack also unveiled an Argentina national team jersey personally gifted to him by Messi, which bore the signature of the renowned football superstar. 

Jack said that although he currently has the shirt in his possession, he expressed his willingness to part with it in the future depending on the situation, such as a charity sale or auction.

Jack, whose real name is Trinh Tran Phuong Tuan, is a Vietnamese singer, songwriter, rapper, and actor born in 1997.

He rose to fame during his time in the hip-hop group G5R with ‘Hong Nhan’ (The beauty).

Throughout his career, he has received many accolades, including Best New Asian Artist of Vietnam at the 2019 Mnet Asian Music Awards and Best Southeast Asian Act at the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards. 

He is also the first Vietnamese artist to win an Asian Television Award for Best Music Video Act with ‘Hoa hai duong’ (Malus spectabilis).

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