An Omani lawyer and member of the country’s parliament has offered Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi $1 million for the bisht (a ceremonial Arabic cloak) that was presented to him by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, following his team’s dramatic victory at the finals on Sunday, December 18 in Doha.
Ahmed Al Barwani, 41, made the genuine offer in a Twitter post, and has told that he is open to paying more if the player wants to negotiate.
“My friend Messi, I congratulate you on winning the World Cup. (the Emir of Qatar) dazzled me as he placed a bisht, a symbol of magnanimity and wisdom, over your shoulders,” Ahmed Al Barwani wrote in his tweet.
“I’m offering you a million dollars to give me that bisht,” he further said.
The garment Messi wore as he lifted the trophy is a $2,200 bisht. It is a traditional gown worn by men for weddings, graduations and official events — and it was made by football fan Ahmed al-Salem’s family company.
The Al-Salem store in Doha, a longstanding bisht supplier to Qatari royalty, normally sells eight to 10 garments a day.
Soon after Messi lifted the cup wearing the bisht, several Argentina supporters were seen on social media wearing the traditional Arabic robe.
