Why Egypt’s best known archaeologist Zahi Hawass called Lionel Messi ‘an idiot’

Lionel Messi was called an idiot by Egypt’s premier archaeologist Zahi Hawass during a tour of the Giza Pyramids.

Egypt’s best known archaeologist has apologized after he angrily called Argentina and FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi “an idiot” because the striker seemed to show little interest during a tour of the Giza Pyramids.

Lionel Messi was called ‘an idiot’ by Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass. (AFP)

Zahi Hawass, famed for his Indiana Jones hat and TV specials on Egypt’s ancient sites, showed Lionel Messi around the Pyramids last month. In a TV interview, he was asked about the FC Barcelona striker’s reaction.

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“Messi is an idiot,” he snapped. “I was explaining the antiquities to him and there’s no reaction in his face. I was explaining things that would make a rock react, but he was just like an idiot.”

In a statement late Tuesday, Hawass said he was expressing anger over an inefficient interpreter.

“I apologize to Messi and his fans for the misunderstanding,” he said.