Officials Defends Messi Wearing Arab Robe During Celebration

Officials from Qatar have defended the choice to dress Lionel Messi in an authentic Arab robe as he was about lifting the World Cup trophy.

Argentina defeated France in one of the most thrilling World Cup finals in tournament history on Sunday, and Messi, one of the greatest players in history, finally won the trophy.

Messi, a striker for Paris-Saint-Germain, scored twice at the Lusail Stadium, but Kylian Mbappe’s incredible hat-trick forced the 2022 championship game to penalties.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Argentina won the World Cup 4-2 on penalties after France had rallied from a 2-0 deficit.

Messi’s one and only World Cup victory will go down in history as one of the competition’s most memorable moments, but FIFA and Qatar have been accused of attempting to diminish his unique moment during the trophy presentation.

Before hoisting the trophy, the 35-year-old shook hands with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim while wearing a black bisht, a traditional men’s cloak common in the Arab world.

Former England striker Gary Lineker was one of those who criticized the decision, calling it “a disgrace” that Messi’s Argentina jersey was hidden during the momentous occasion.

But Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of Qatar’s tournament organising committee, told BBC Sport: ‘It is a dress for an official occasion and worn for celebrations. This was a celebration of Messi.

‘The World Cup had the opportunity to showcase to the world our Arab and Muslim culture. This was not about Qatar, it was a regional celebration.

‘People from different walks of life were able to come, experience what was happening here and get to understand that we may not see eye to eye on everything, but we can still celebrate together.

Sheikh Tamim added on Twitter: ‘We have fulfilled our promise to organise an exceptional championship from the Arab countries.

‘It provided an opportunity for the peoples of the world to learn about the richness of our culture and the originality of our values.’