Only Messi can settle this?

Following the release of his music video "From Where I Was Born" on August 31st, singer Jack (real name Trinh Tran Phuong Tuan) sparked considerable controversy. The uproar surrounding the music video stemmed from Lionel Messi's brief appearance for approximately three seconds. A week-long "verbal battle" ensued between Jack and businessman Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong, a well-known collector of football jerseys in Vietnam, who is believed to have facilitated Jack's encounter with Messi.

Singer Jack did not invite Messi to star in his music video. The images of the Argentinian superstar are actually from a commemorative video , recorded during a private meeting between Mr. Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong and the Argentinian superstar, arranged by a friend. Jack was invited by Mr. Cuong to accompany them.

The controversy arose when singer Jack recounted the meeting at a press conference, coupled with rumors that he paid 60 billion VND to meet Messi. This can be considered a turning point that turned the two sides into enemies.

How much does it cost to meet Messi?

Information about the 60 billion VND figure prompted businessman Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong to speak out. He stated that his reputation and relationships with partners were affected by this rumor.

Jack's agency issued a statement denying the information that the singer spent 60 billion VND. However, Jack insisted that he had to spend a large sum of money to meet Messi. Mr. Quoc Cuong demanded that Jack publicly disclose this figure.

The exact amount was later revealed by the male singer.

"Mr. Cuong repeatedly changed the service price. Initially, Mr. Cuong quoted Jack 80,000 EUR (over 2 billion VND), then he increased it to over 200,000 EUR (over 5 billion VND). During the period in France, Jack temporarily borrowed some money from Mr. Cuong (because Jack didn't have enough Euros). After returning to Vietnam, Jack paid Mr. Cuong the full amount. In total, Jack spent over 200,000 EUR on Mr. Cuong alone, as per the agreement. In addition, all travel and accommodation expenses for Jack and his team throughout that trip were covered by Jack himself," J97 Entertainment - Jack's management company - revealed.

Regarding the expenses incurred to meet Messi, Mr. Quoc Cuong explained that a large portion was spent on accommodation, travel, and tickets to the match. The initial meeting was scheduled at the Parc des Princes stadium (Paris, France) after a Paris Saint-Germain match. Another expense was for renting an expensive car for several days – which, according to the businessman, was "to create a good image" – and paying for the support staff at the stadium.

All these expenses increased because the trip lasted longer than expected, due to the originally planned meeting with Messi not taking place.

Singer Jack spent over 5 billion VND to meet Messi.

Did Jack use Messi's image without permission?

Each second Messi appears in a commercial is worth 19 billion VND. The Argentine superstar only appeared once in a music video, in early August 2023. At that time, he participated in the music video for "Trofeo" by Colombian singer Maluma – a friend of his.

Therefore, Jack's inclusion of Messi in the music video has raised questions. The question of whether the singer was legally permitted to use images of his meeting with the 2022 World Cup champion in his music video – even with monetization disabled on YouTube – remains unanswered.

Jack stated: "I wouldn't have made this video without permission from the beginning. During my trip to meet Messi, I discussed and asked for permission to use his image. Messi's side agreed on the condition that his image would not be used for commercial, political , or national purposes."

Earlier, at the press conference for the release of his music video "From Where I Was Born," singer Jack revealed that Messi gave him a signed commemorative shirt after they had dinner together.

However, businessman Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong revealed the opposite and accused Jack of providing false information.

"There was absolutely no question of having dinner; we went there for dinner, waited for Messi and his friends to finish eating, then went in to ask for photos and autographs. The shirt Messi signed, because I didn't have any meaningful shirts, I even borrowed it from him to sign. He sent it to me the day before the press conference for me to use; there was absolutely no question of Messi giving me the shirt," Mr. Quoc Cuong stated.

Mr. Quoc Cuong repeatedly emphasized that throughout the journey, all of the group's contact with Messi was through this businessman. Mr. Quoc Cuong requested Jack to provide evidence proving Messi's permission to use his image in the music video. However, the singer has not yet responded.

After clarifying the amount of money spent on the trip, this is perhaps the final sticking point in the dispute between singer Jack and Mr. Quoc Cuong.

Only... Messi can make the judgment?

On September 6th, Mr. Quoc Cuong's media representative confirmed a meeting with Jack to resolve the necessary issues. However, information from both sides regarding the meeting was inconsistent. The press conference scheduled for September 7th was also canceled. After turning against each other, Mr. Quoc Cuong and singer Jack still show no signs of reaching a reconciliation.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong met Messi in France. (Photo: Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong)

Whether Jack violated image copyright or was permitted to use Messi's image in the music video can only be verified by the Argentinian player himself and the company authorized by the superstar. However, the likelihood of Messi speaking out is low. In fact, the captain of the Argentinian national team may not even be aware of the existence of this music video.

Meanwhile, Jack is not obligated to provide evidence as requested by Mr. Pham Ngoc Quoc Cuong. However, if the singer wants to end the controversy and dispel the doubts and accusations from the public, he can prove himself by publicly releasing evidence authorized by Messi, such as information about the amount of money spent on the trip.

Another issue that Jack needed to address was the story about having dinner and receiving a signed shirt from Messi. The singer didn't mention these details in his response to Mr. Quoc Cuong, and these are the points that led to criticism in this controversy.

In fact, the male singer used the story related to his meeting with Messi to promote his music video "Since I Was Born." It could be said that the 3-second appearance of the Argentinian superstar – considered irrelevant to the song's content – is the only highlight of this musical product.

Many believe Jack achieved his goal of creating a viral effect with the release of his music video. Exactly one week after its release, the music video "From Where I Was Born" surpassed 6.5 million views.

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