Others on social media were outraged by the criticism of the bisht, saying it was steeped in ignorance and misunderstanding of Qatar’s culture.

There was more criticism from other media, with British newspaper The Telegraph originally writing the headline “The bizarre act that ruined the greatest moment in World Cup history” in reference to Messi wearing the bisht. Keep reading list of 4 items list 1 of 4 Photos: Messi and Argentina lift World Cup after win over France list 2 of 4 France fans hail Mbappe’s dazzling World Cup final performance list 3 of 4 Messi says he will not retire from Argentinian national team list 4 of 4 Tears of relief and joy as Messi lifts World Cup for Argentina end of list What is a bisht? It is a dress for an official occasion and worn for celebrations. This was a celebration of Messi,” Al Thawadi told BBC Sport.Sheikh Tamim placed a bisht on Messi during the trophy presentation. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images To others, it was one last attempt for Qatar to stamp its mark on the tournament – a criticism of the “sportswashing” (where critics accused Qatar of using the occasion to paper over its human rights record) that has underpinned much of the coverage of the tournament.

The moment that Lionel Messi had been waiting his entire career for finally arrived, as a 4-2 Argentina win on penalties saw him lift the prestigious World Cup trophy. A crazy 3-3 draw in 120 minutes against France saw the game decided on penalties with Gonzalo Montiel converting from 12 yards to crown Argentina as the new world champions. And this is a top occasion. I mean, there’s probably no bigger occasion, so they put it on him as a mark of honour,” he said. Mustafa Baig, a lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of Exeter, told the dpa news agency that the bisht is a formal robe worn by royalty, dignitaries, grooms on their wedding day, and graduates at graduation ceremonies.Messi converted the opening goal from 12 yards after Angel Di Maria was felled by Ousmane Dembele. Di Maria then doubled his nation's lead in the 36th minute converting Alexis Mac Allister's pass. So only a select few people would actually wear the bisht,” he said. “They basically honoured him [Messi] by putting it over his shoulders. It’s like a mark of honour, and just kind of a cultural welcoming and a cultural acceptance.” READ MORE: Elon Musk, Macron, Khabib, Djokovic and the biggest names attending 2022 Qatar World Cup final

The moment caused quite a stir in the BBC studio with the decision to put Messi in a Bisht leaving them all confused, with Pablo Zabaleta, who played 58 times for Argentina, parctilarly bemused. With Gary Lineker bringing up the topic, Zabaleta who simply replied, "Why, just why? No reason to do that." Our goal is to inspire dreamers to live to their full potential: to be the best they can be, on and off the field. Bringing your "A" game shouldn't stop after you play the best game of your life. Bring that passion and hard work to every area of your life - always strive to be the best version of yourself, and good things will happen. The bisht is a long cloak made out of light, often sheer, material with trimming made out of real gold that is worn over a white thobe.

Messi didn’t wear the item of clothing for long, taking it off shortly after the trophy presentation and celebrating with his teammates in Argentina’s distinctive jersey. It was, for some, the perfect ending to a tournament that has been viewed by many as the best World Cup ever.

CNN reached out to FIFA for comment regarding the decision to use the bisht in the presentation ceremony. Amid the criticism, Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), an organization charged with organizing the World Cup, tried to explain the reasons behind the bisht. TOPSHOT - Argentina's captain and forward #10 Lionel Messi (R) holds the FIFA World Cup Trophy following the trophy ceremony after Argentina won the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images) Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty ImagesLUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of Argentina lifts the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner's Trophy during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Julian Finney/Getty Images Instead of preconceived notions & judgmental views, turning this beautiful and meaningful photo into something that is not, read about the Arab bisht; its importance, and why/when it’s worn. The World Cup had the opportunity to showcase to the world our Arab and Muslim culture. This was not about Qatar, it was a regional celebration. We support masters of their craft, whatever their craft may be. Footballers, freestylers, musicians, artists, the list goes on. If you have a passion in which you strive for excellence, The Messi Brand supports you. Precision, the condition or fact of being exact and accurate, is as important to us as it is to you: you settle for nothing but the best when it comes to “ mastering your craft. ” Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee, said: “It is a dress for an official occasion and worn for celebrations. This was a celebration of Messi.