Beyond helping Argentina to beat Nigeria, and maybe win the Russia 2018 World Cup, football legend, Lionel Messi may become an outcast in Palestine if he plays in an international friendly against Israel on Saturday.
The Barcelona star is facing serious threat from Palestinian football association chief, Jibril Rajoub, if he chooses to feature in Argentina’s controversial friendly against Israel in Jerusalem.
The football buff has called on fans to “target” the Barcelona superstar should he take part in the match angling that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s reputation should be buffetted. He ordered fans all over Palestine to set the player’s jerseys and pictures ablaze, whereever they may be, as soon as he comes out of the dressing room.
“He’s a big symbol so we are going to target him personally and we call on all to burn his picture and his shirt and to abandon him. We still hope that Messi will not come,” the FA boss said.
Rajoub has accused Israel of having political motivations for the friendly. The match at Teddy Stadium is an opportunity for Israel to test themselves against one of the best sides in the world. The encounter will also act as Argentina’s last warm-up match before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia on June 14.
However, it is a fixture that has caused dispute, with Arab Israeli MK Yousef Jabarin recently calling for Argentina to cancel the friendly, per the Times of Israel.
In a letter to the Argentinian ambassador to Israel, he wrote: “[It] sends a dangerous message to the Israeli government that the world is ignoring its gross violations.”
Argentina is drawn in Group D alongside Nigeria, Croatia and Iceland.