World Cup 2022: Messi's bisht, the other symbol of the final

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup on Sunday. While the action on the pitch delivered, with 6 goals, including a hat-trick from Kylian Mbappé, the trophy presentation to the Argentines also got people talking. The reason was the garment given to Lionel Messi by the Emir. Some took offence, arguing that it hid the shirt of La Pulga. This kind of cloak is called a bisht and carries significant symbolism in Qatar.

Speaking to AFP, in a report picked up by RFI, shop owner Ahmed Al Salim explained the importance of the bisht. "When a sheikh dresses someone in a bisht (traditionally worn by men at weddings, graduations and official events in many Gulf countries, editor's note), it means honouring and appreciating them," said Al Salim. Demand also spiked after the Albiceleste's triumph. "At one point, there were dozens of people waiting outside the shop. Almost all of them Argentines".

The bisht is also another way of securing the Qatar World Cup a place in posterity, as Messi's image has been widely discussed and admired by many observers, despite some criticism. "From a communications point of view, it's going to be hugely important because we know how long these photos are kept and shared again. That's what people will remember," Carole Gomez, a doctoral researcher in sport sociology at the University of Lausanne, told AFP.

Read also: World Cup 2022: a feast on the pitch, a well-chosen organisation