‘I’m a 6ft2 truck driver who’s always mistaken for Lionel Messi – it’s a dream life’

A truck driver has gone viral on social media after users spotted his resemblance to famous Argentinian football icon Lionel Messi.

Leonardo Esteban Adrian Gorri, 41, looks the spitting image of the athlete – and has even been mistaken for him in airports and in public. The lookalike claims he has been shouted at by fans and asked for pictures.

The resemblance has earned him a following of 145,000 on Instagram, where he often jokes about the likeness with Messi, who famously led his country to World Cup glory in Qatar last year.

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“I was at the Barcelona stadium in Guayaquil watching a match as a guest of the club and people shouted ‘Messi, Messi’ at me,” Leonardo told NeedToKnow.co.uk.

“At the Lima airport the people from the airline company recognised me too and asked to take a photo. The only thing that makes people realise I am not [him] is my height – I am 6ft2 and he is 5ft5.”

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Leonardo, who works as a truck driver, says people have been left “confused” after spotting him in public. He told local press of his newfound fame: “I am fortunate to look like the best player in the world. It amuses people and my dream has always been to make people smile.”

Leonardo frequently shares videos of himself online and internet users can’t believe the resemblance. “Hahahaha exactly the same!,” said one user, referring to the similarities between the pair. “We love our Messi,” said someone else.

“Great! Although Messi is incomparable,” added another person. “But it’s not Messi or is it?,” asked someone else, with several laughing emojis.