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."
صديقي ميسي..
— أحـمَـد الـبـَروانـي (@AhmedSAlbarwani) December 20, 2022
من #سلطنة_عمان أبارك لكم فوزكم بـ #كأس_العالم_قطر_2022
أبهرني الأمير @TamimBinHamad وهو يُلبسك #البشت_العربي ،رمز الشهامة والحكمة.#ميسي
أعرض عليك مليون دولار أميركي نظير أن تعطيني ذلك #البشت#Messi𓃵
I'm offering you a million $ to give me that bisht@TeamMessi pic.twitter.com/45BlVdl6Fh
Mr Barwani spoke to The National and said that 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 is a symbol of wisdom, bravery, integrity, generosity and authenticity.
Also Read: Salt Bae Posts Old Clip With Lionel Messi After He 'Ignored' Him At FIFA World Cup Final
The bisht won't be worn if Messi agrees to the offer. The Oman official said that it will serve as a reminder to people about what all 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 the 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.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world