Argentina captain Lionel Messi was seen wearing an Arabic black robe or ‘bisht’ as a mark of honour when he lifted the World Cup trophy in Qatar. It was given to him by Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, just before lifting the trophy.
Now, the footballer has been offered $1 million (Rs 8.2 crore) by Ahmed Al Barwani, an Omani lawyer and Member of Parliament, for the bisht he wore during the ceremony. Mr Barwani took to Twitter to place the offer. He wrote, “From the Sultanate of Oman, I congratulate you for winning the World Cup Qatar 2022. The Arabic Bisht is a symbol of chivalry and wisdom. I’m offering you a million dollars in return for that Bisht.”
Mr Barwani spoke to The National and said he is “open to paying more if the player wants to negotiate.” “I was at the stadium watching that moment live when the Emir of Qatar gave Messi the bisht,” said Mr Al Barwani. “This moment told the world that we are here, and this is our culture, please know it well,” he continued telling the outlet.
Mr Al Barwani stated that the World Cup meant a lot to Arab nations and the bisht will symbolise wisdom, bravery, integrity, generosity and authenticity.
The bisht won’t be worn if Messi agrees to the offer. The Oman official said that it would serve as a reminder to people about what is possible in life. “It will be displayed to commemorate that moment of pride, and to help us relive it, and to also remind us that we can (do anything)” he told The National.
Bisht is a traditional men’s cloak popular in Arab countries and is made of camel hair and goat wool. It is worn in the Arab world by royalty, dignitaries and grooms on special occasions like weddings, festivals, graduations and Eid.
