Lionel Messi was prominently pictured wearing a 'bisht' traditional cloak that the emir presented the Argentina icon before he lifted the World Cup trophy.
“From the Sultanate of Oman I congratulate you for winning the World Cup Qatar 2022 … the Arabic bisht, a symbol of chivalry and wisdom. I'm offering you $1 million in return for that bisht," Al Barwani, said in his tweet.
The bisht is traditionally a long, hand-woven cloak made of camel hair and goat fur. Its fibres were specifically crafted for the harsh desert climates – both cold and warm.
For Qataris, shrouding Messi, the star of the FIFA World Cup, with their most honorific clothing was an opportunity to share their culture. While the invention of the sewing machine facilitated the mass production of these cloaks, royalty, dignitaries and sheikhs wear only handmade, woven and trimmed bisht.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was in scintillating form from the start of the final, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was tripped and later playing a part in a flowing team move that resulted in Di Maria making it 2-0 after 36 minutes.
Messi still had plenty of energy and he was on hand to tap in his second goal in the 108th minute, with a France defender clearing the ball just after it had crossed the line.
*with inputs from agencies
