- Lionel Messi was given a black robe to wear just before lifting the World Cup trophy for the first time.
- The robe is a traditional Qatari bischt and was given to Messi by the Emir of Qatar.
Lionel Messi put another exclamation point on his career by winning the World Cup, but before he could lift the trophy for the first time, he also had to put on a robe.
On Sunday, Argentina defeated France in a wild World Cup final. While it was a time to celebrate for the people of Argentina and fans of soccer and Lionel Messi, some thought an unusual moment after the match took a little bit away from the celebration.
Just before Messi lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time in his magical career, he was given a black robe to wear, creating an unusual scene at a World Cup.
The robe was a traditional Qatari "bischt" and was given to Messi just before the trophy presentation by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
According to The Indian Express, the robe is made of camel hair and goat wool and is traditionally worn by members of the royal family, and for special occasions and celebrations.
While the move seemed like a nice gesture for arguably the greatest footballer ever and a fitting end to the controversial Qatar World Cup, others were not happy with the timing of the move.
Winning the World Cup was the only thing missing from Messi's extraordinary career, and the moment he lifted the World Cup trophy for the first time will likely go down as the most iconic moment of his career. And yet, when he did raise it, his signature blue and white Argentina jersey was hidden.
—Rob Blanchette (@_Rob_B) December 18, 2022
The head of the tournament's organizing committee explained the move to the BBC.
"It is a dress for an official occasion and worn for celebrations," Hassan Al Thawadi told BBC Sport. "This was a celebration of Messi."
However, he also seemingly admitted that the robe was not just about honoring Messi.
"The World Cup had the opportunity to showcase to the world our Arab and Muslim culture," Al Thawadi said. "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."
The Emir of Qatar echoed this sentiment on Twitter.
"We have fulfilled our promise to organize an exceptional championship from the Arab countries," Sheikh Tamim wrote, translated by the BBC. "It provided an opportunity for the peoples of the world to learn about the richness of our culture and the originality of our values."