Messi Dons Ceremonial Arab Robe During World Cup Trophy Presentation

Before he was handed international soccer’s solid gold World Cup trophy, Argentina’s team captain Lionel Messi allowed himself to be draped in a black ceremonial Arab robe, known as a bisht, by Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The robe flowed from his shoulders as he held the Golden Ball trophy aloft, and it stood out among the blue jerseys of his teammates as they celebrated on the pitch of Lusail stadium. Some fans were troubled by the robe, saying it hid Messi’s team jersey and marked him with a foreign symbol, and that it ruined a “magic moment.” Others believed that it showed Messi great respect and honor. The bisht is worn on special occasions, the Qatari royal family usually wears it for formal occasions, and it is regarded as sign of prestige or high status. The art of bisht tailoring is a skill handed down from generation to generation and the special embroidery on the sleeves and around the collar often is made using pure gold and silver stitch work. Messi later took of the bisht as his celebrations with his teammates continued. Meanwhile, immediately following the World Cup final, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the emir and thanked him as well as Qatar for using their position as hosts of the World Cup to promote the Palestinian cause.