Lionel Messi: Argentina captain wears traditional Arabic robe to lift World Cup trophy after final win over France | Football news

Lionel Messi was presented with a bishti – a traditional Arabic cloak – that covered most of his Argentina shirt as he lifted the World Cup trophy after his country’s dramatic victory over France in the final.

Messi – who scored Argentina’s first and third goals drew with France 3-3 after extra time before beating them on penalties – FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, spread the cape over their jerseys.

The striker – who plays for Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain and is an ambassador for Saudi Arabia – was then led by the pair to his team-mates before he lifted the trophy wearing a bishti, a status garment worn on special occasions. Arab men and is often associated with royalty.

Former Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta was unhappy with Messi’s position. He talked about his role as an expert. BBChe said, “Why? No reason to do that.”

Former England striker Gary Lineker added: “It seems a bit of a shame that they’ve covered Messi in an Argentina shirt.”

Also talks BBCAlan Shearer joked about Infantino’s attention to Messi before handing him the trophy, saying: “I didn’t think Infantino would let him go either.”

Lineker then joked: “No one stamped him that hard during the game.

“He’s good in tight spaces though, so he eventually got away from him.”

“We should be careful before jumping to conclusions”

Sky Sports Editor-in-Chief Kaveh Solhekol:

“It was something we haven’t seen before in a World Cup final. When the captain gets the World Cup trophy, it’s a defining image – it’s an image that will last forever.

“Usually when the captain receives the trophy, of course he’s wearing his country’s shirt – and Argentina’s shirt is one of the most famous in world football. Except today, when Lionel Messi got his hands on that trophy, he was wearing a ceremonial Arab shirt called a bisht.

“Some people have reacted to it by saying that it is a sign that the Qataris are trying to own this moment. Whenever someone sees this picture, they remember that this was the Arab World Cup and it was held in Qatar. Many people criticize and say that the Qataris organized during that ceremony.

“But some people say, ‘Wait a minute – there’s nothing controversial about this.’ Messi was given this robe. He wore the robe and it was his decision to wear it. He’s in an Arab country and it’s a great honor to wear that robe.

“I think we should be careful before jumping to conclusions. Messi has to decide for himself what he wants to do when he hands over the trophy, and if he was happy to do that, who are we to criticize him?”