One of the biggest surprises of the recent FIFA World Cup 2022 occurred after Sunday’s championship match, in which Argentina upset France in a penalty shootout.
The victorious captain of Argentina, Lionel Messi, was presented with a black and gold bisht, a traditional men’s robe, by Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in celebration of his team’s triumph.
According to reports, Messi’s bisht, which costs about $2,200, was produced by Al-Salem shop, a provider of bisht in Qatar. It’s interesting to note that the proprietor of Al-Salem business was unaware that the shirt they fashioned was intended for Argentine player Lionel Messi.
Owner of the Al-Salem store Ahmed Al-Salem was stunned to witness the Qatari Emir awarding Messi with his bisht while watching the championship game on a television nearby. He didn’t identify the scene until he noticed his brand’s tag.
He claimed that on average, his shop used to sell 8 to 10 bishts each day. But during the World Cup final, he sold more than 150 of them in one day, three of which were exact duplicates of the one Messi wore. According to Al-Salem, there was once a sizable line outside his shop, with most of the people in it being Argentineans.
According to Al-Salem, World Cup authorities purchased two pieces of the lightest, clearest cloth, one in a smaller size (for Messi) and the other in a larger size (for France’s Hugo Lloris). He assumed that was because they didn’t want to hide the shirt of the victorious team.
To read our blog on “Messi lifted the World Cup for Argentina as the Maradona did 36 years age,” click here