Draped over Lionel Messi in Qatar, the bisht leapt from centuries of Arab tradition into global conversation to become a cultural bridge with Argentina.

At the climax of the 2022 World Cup, between the roar of a delirious crowd and the silver flash of Messi’s lifted trophy, came a quieter, capacious gesture. Qatar’s Amir draped the just-crowned World Champion, Lionel Messi, in a ceremonial Bisht. 

For many, it was the introduction to the ceremonial cloak that has been a mainstay in the Arab world for centuries. Suddenly, the Bisht became a global talking point, transcending continents and into conversations of cultural diplomacy and identity. 

“It was so beautiful, because we conveyed the Gulf and the Arab culture to some countries that were unfamiliar with it,” said Asaad Hag of Besht Al Salem, where the Bisht used in the ceremony was made. 

The Bisht, however, stretches beyond fashion. Worn over the traditional thobe, it is typically reserved for moments of high ceremonial gravity, such as graduations, weddings, and the highest tiers of state. It’s a robe of status, stitched with gold trim, intended for those whose presence signifies a momentous occasion.  

“The Bisht is important in the Qatari culture,” Hag added.

Its lineage stretches back millennia. Archaeological and textual records suggest versions of the bisht were present as early as 2300 BCE in the Arabian Peninsula, with similar robes depicted in Levantine art from Jesus’s era.

While differences remain in who brought it first, the Bisht was originally popular among the Bedouins in winter as practical protection against the desert cold.

Over time, its practical origins gave way to ceremony. Cloaks edged with gold or silk thread became symbols of authority and learning, worn by tribal leaders, scholars, and dignitaries across early Islamic courts. 

The intricacies of making the Bisht remain to this date. “The Bisht goes through several stages before it’s completed,” said Haag, the Bisht maker. “It requires a week to ten days […] and a single Bisht takes around five people to make.” 

There is significance to the colours of the Bishts too. A white Bisht is intended to be worn in the morning, a brown one between the afternoon and around sunset and a black one during the evening. 

The Messi moment, which became a flashpoint in introducing the garment to the world, involved a translucent, black one. 

“When they asked us to make the Bisht, I didn’t know it was for the World Cup champion. But when I saw Messi wearing it, I felt our craft stood in the world’s spotlight,” said Abdul Khader, another Bisht maker from Besht Al Salem. 

Within hours, the narrative emerged: this robe, draped over a titan of sport, had become both a cultural symbol and a viral sensation.

“Lionel Messi wearing a Bisht was a sign of ultimate respect by the Qatari royal family,” said Roy Nemer, a journalist from Argentina’s Mundo Albiceleste. “Those who are from the region or know of the traditions will know what it represents.”

The tangible effects of those online ripples had started to be seen in shops across Souq Waqif, Doha’s central market, as Argentina and Messi fans began flocking to the shops, collecting their own bishts, draping them over their jerseys, and snapping photos. 

“It attracted a lot of fans from Europe and especially from Argentina during and after the World Cup,” Haag added. “It was incredible.” 

Footage of Argentina supporters walking around the Souq Waqif, singing their signature chant from the 2022 World Cup, Muchachos, ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar (Boys, we have our hopes up again) began to emerge. 

And therein lay the Bisht’s cultural explosion: a physical cloak, but also a crossing of worlds between the Arab heritage and global fandom as well as the silent pride and the uncontainable roar of a World Cup crowd. Within two years of the seminal moment, Qatar led the bid to include the Bisht on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list. 

For many, the bisht draped over Messi became more than a ceremony. It was a stitch between Qatar and the Arab World’s centuries-old rituals and Argentina’s century-long dream, sewn in front of the world’s eyes.

And now, as Qatar celebrates its Years of Culture with Argentina, that iconic moment continues to echo in the alleys of the traditional market. Each visitor who wants a picture with the Bisht wants to recreate that seminal moment, which will continue to be a bridge between the two nations’ cultures for the time to come.