Players.bio is a large online platform sharing the best live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, Golf, Rugby, Cricket, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, plus the latest sports news, transfers & scores. Exclusive interviews, fresh photos and videos, breaking news. Stay tuned to know everything you wish about your favorite stars 24/7. Check our daily updates and make sure you don't miss anything about celebrities' lives.

Contacts

  • Owner: SNOWLAND s.r.o.
  • Registration certificate 06691200
  • 16200, Na okraji 381/41, Veleslavín, 162 00 Praha 6
  • Czech Republic

Worldwide debate rages about Messi's robe, a bisht, while lifting the World Cup

Inspired by a mesmerising Lionel Messi performance, Argentina finally ended a 36-year wait to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy on Sunday.

All eyes were on captain Messi as he took to the stage to lift the 18 carat gold trophy as he has now won every major football tournament.

However, after collecting his gold medal from FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani wrapped the 35-year-old in a black robe known as a bisht.

READ | 'We're champions of the world' cries joyous Messi as he echoes Maradona

The South Americans had defeated France in a penalty shootout following the 3-3 scoreline at the end of extra-time in a thrilling end to a phenomenal tournament held in Qatar, a Muslim country.

Messi, who was full of smiles, wore the bisht with immense honour, took to the centre of the stage, surrounded by his Argentine teammates, as fireworks and confetti took to the sky as he raised the trophy.

READ | Argentina's Scaloni on World Cup victory: 'It has not yet sunk in!'

The gesture by the Emir of Qatar, who donned a bisht himself, had some tongues wagging, and some heads shaking, believing it clouded Messi and Argentina's moment.

It was a tournament that was beset with political innuendo even before it began, starting with the controversial decision to award Qatar the rights to host and then the outpouring of tales about the treatment of immigrant workers, no alcohol consumption in stadiums on matchdays and (lack of) LGBTQ+ rights in the state.

The final act by Qatar's ruler brought all the political accusations back to the fore, with some accusing the state of usurping the moment to forever etch Qatar's image in football and sporting history books - the last scrub of their sports washing attempt.

Others took a

Read more on news24.com