The FIFA World Cup final on Sunday ended on an unusual scene. Lionel Messi was invited to wear a bisht, a traditional Arab dress, by the Emir of Qatar on the podium…
A final manifestation of the Qatari version of soft power. Yesterday evening, during the presentation of the World Cup to Argentina, the captain of the Albiceleste Lionel Messi was quickly invited to put on a traditional Arab dress by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim ben Hamad Al-Thani, encouraged by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
On the podium set up for the occasion, we saw this unusual scene in such circumstances, where the greatest player of all time seemed surprised or even doubtful himself, before putting on his shoulders this coat in the form of a black tunic transparent, lined with gold. An outfit that the whole world could admire later on all the images of Argentina and their hero lifting the trophy.
This coat is a bisht, a ceremonial dress reserved for men during major events. It is also associated with royalty as specified The Parisian. Emir Al-Thani also wore a similar cape during the trophy presentation. And if the sequence was able to astonish the world of football, it comes in addition to the efforts of the emirate to display an impeccable image, while showing its specificity during this World Cup so decried.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, one of the faces of Qatar in France, further underlined this at the microphone of BeIN Sports in the evening: “As a Qatari, I am very proud, very happy with what we We have shown the whole world that we are good people and not bad, “insisted the president of PSG, who praised” the organization, the infrastructure, the security “but also” the supporters, the training facilities” that his country has brought, saying “sure that this is the best World Cup in history”.
In any case, there is one for whom this World Cup in Qatar will be the “best World Cup”. It’s Lionel Messi. But after the official ceremony with its photo session, the Pulga will however hasten to remove this tunic, to put on the Argentina jersey during the parade of its team and the long night of celebration that followed. A jersey that no longer displayed two but three stars…