It doesn't matter what Messi thinks. Thats. The whole point of sports washing. Its that the players and football are being exploited for political gain.
Messi lifting the World Cup in that robe
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
You guys looking for any reason to hate on the hosts. Give it a rest.
Gotta hand it to Qatar, they delivered a sportswashing masterclass
Who gives a feck. A bunch of keyboard warriors wearing their tinfoil hats.
No one seemed to care when Pele wore the Mexican hat. Hey but if it’s the Arabs let’s find a way to criticise. 
. I was reading about this - it’s a huge honour! Give it a rest, Qatar did a great job, best World Cup ever.
. I was reading about this - it’s a huge honour! Give it a rest, Qatar did a great job, best World Cup ever.This outrage culture is so pathetic and disgusting to watch. People who love getting mad on behalf of others are the worst. Messi himself didn't mind it yet here we have all these people wanting to be mad over nothing.
When people in the Western world bring their customs, it's okay no one should care and should in fact be applauded but how dare these animals from Qatar dare show their cultures. So disgusting, let get outraged over it. Pathetic.
When people in the Western world bring their customs, it's okay no one should care and should in fact be applauded but how dare these animals from Qatar dare show their cultures. So disgusting, let get outraged over it. Pathetic.
Indeed. The hypocrisy from people is astounding. Doesn't help that they live in their own echo chambers on Twitter and such where they pat themselves on the back over their stupid outrages.No one seemed to care when Pele wore the Mexican hat. Hey but if it’s the Arabs let’s find a way to criticise.
C'mon, it's very weird. Imagine if Germany were hosting and Angela Merkel adorned Messi in a lederhosen. It's a really odd thing to do.
The tournament was amazing which they were sure would be a disaster, so they grab whatever they can.
Best world cup everNo one seemed to care when Pele wore the Mexican hat. Hey but if it’s the Arabs let’s find a way to criticise.
Best final ever maybe, but the whole tournament has been rather mediocre.
But I guess that's subjective.
But it's far from them best ever and has a massive stain upon its name for being tainted by political benefits.
Not it's not. Do people rage when players in the PL wear these shirts with red flowers as Remembrance Poppy to commemorate soldiers who have died in war?
What in god's name are you talking about? How are those two scenarios remotely the same?
Virtue signalling and double standards is the rage these days, especially for these so-called 1st world countries' resident
I can't imagine Messi gave two shits what he was wearing so long as he got to actually lift the world cup.
Qatar did a LOT of things wrong. They are a deplorable nation on many levels. But putting their attire on the captain of the winning team is 1000% not one of the things they got wrong.
Don't Bayern do this every year? (without Merkel obviously)
Disagree entirely. Not that far off from being up there with the best.Best world cup ever
Best final ever maybe, but the whole tournament has been rather mediocre.
But I guess that's subjective.
But it's far from them best ever and has a massive stain upon its name for being tainted by political benefits.
Political? Wonder who drove that agenda?! It’s a world of grayscales.
Don’t care about the robe but the whole celebration was a bit underwhelming. Will be looked back as one of the most historic and iconic moments in football and it was a bit flat. Was also expecting a bit more emotion from Messi.
The outrage over anyone questioning the forced robe is amusing
It’s obviously some honour given to him by Qatari royalty or something as a sign of respect, no big deal really. I’m surprised it’s caused such a stir on here to be honest - if Iker Casillas was bestowed with a traditional African garment after winning it in 2010 I doubt anyone would bat an eye.
Timing of it though, putting it on just before the wc lifting photo was not just about honour....it was about the photo, and history. Well played qatar
Yeah I don’t doubt they wanted maximum exposure as well
In general, there's nothing wrong with hosts showing their culture. And if this was a relatively benign tournament, I think people would have had less issue with what is in theory a gesture of respect and would take it at face value.
But it wasn't a benign tournament. It was a tournament brought about by corruption, built on modern slavery, in a country with vile anti-LGBT laws. One that in political and social terms was actually worse than people were expecting in advance given the unanticipated strong-arming around alcohol, in-stadium symbols and the one love armbands.
In that context, you would be extremely naive to still see this as a straightforward symbol of respect rather than being one final effort of hosts who bought the World Cup for self-promotion to use the World Cup for self promotion. It was one last reminder of everything that has stained this WC, unfortunately timed for a moment when everyone was just thinking about the football they'd just seen.
Without all that context there'd be nothing to it, but there is all that context. Just as without all that context I wouldn't have had such an urge to see someone slap Infantino.
But it wasn't a benign tournament. It was a tournament brought about by corruption, built on modern slavery, in a country with vile anti-LGBT laws. One that in political and social terms was actually worse than people were expecting in advance given the unanticipated strong-arming around alcohol, in-stadium symbols and the one love armbands.
In that context, you would be extremely naive to still see this as a straightforward symbol of respect rather than being one final effort of hosts who bought the World Cup for self-promotion to use the World Cup for self promotion. It was one last reminder of everything that has stained this WC, unfortunately timed for a moment when everyone was just thinking about the football they'd just seen.
Without all that context there'd be nothing to it, but there is all that context. Just as without all that context I wouldn't have had such an urge to see someone slap Infantino.
A bit funny for them to be completely against lgbt and then they asked Messi to wear a woman's robe.
*Perception of context.
I hope if England ever get to host another world cup we make whoever wins dress as a beefeater to lift the trophy.
Don't ask questions that expose thier underlying racism. That random Qatari who's name he doesn't even know must be bad because he's an Arab Muslim man.
I have to say if I was Argentinian I think I'd have felt a little insulted by the host nation forcing its regalia into such an iconic moment. Laurie Whitwell's decription 'grossly indulgent' is along the right lines. And sort of taking liberties. But then it's football. It's politics.
Of course.
Last time I checked France was a European country.
Disagree, thought it was argentina's moment and the host should have gotten out of the way basically. Covering up the jersey and badge of the world cup winning nation with a symbol from their culture was inappropriate. They shouldn't have inserted themselves into the moment.
Get a grip.
I want to say you're right about that but I also take a lot of drugs.
I thought it was brilliant, personally.
Made him like like some kind of wizard. Which in fact, is exactly what he is.
When we look back, it will make it more memorable imo.
Made him like like some kind of wizard. Which in fact, is exactly what he is.
When we look back, it will make it more memorable imo.
Yeah we live in our echo chambers patting ourselves on the back, like that emir patted Messi.
That robe would have looked brilliant on Ronaldo.
The Emir plays on Sunday