PESHAWAR
Former international footballer Shahid Khan Shinwari Friday termed the Qatar World Cup as God’s gifted farewell to living legend Lionel Messi and said that the World Cup in Qatar would help even the Islamic world specially Pakistani youth to come up at national and international levels.
He was addressing to a celebration ceremony in connection of the World Cup by Argentinian Embassy in Islamabad with people from different walk of life including French Ambassador to Pakistan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs Sheza Fatima, King of Polo and Presidential Pride of Performance winner Shahzada Sikandar Ul Mulk, former PFF Official Ashfaq Ali Shah, famous mountain bike international cycle race organizer Khurram Khan, Director General Army Sports Control Board, diplomats of various Embassies in Islamabad, MNAs and other high ranking officials were also present.
Shahid Khan said that Lionel Messi, the holder of the title “King of football” got a God’s gifted farewell when the team of Argentine secured victory in a final wherein no one has any predictions about who will be the winner between two top teams of the football world France and Argentine.
He said Lionel Messi has scored 13 goals in 26 matches at the FIFA World Cup, spanning five editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022) and Messi is the highest goal-scorer for Argentina at the football World Cup. The stats out Leo Messi’s scoring rate at football World Cups at 0.50 goals per game, Shahid said.
He said Lionel Messi took his chance to claim the only major trophy missing from his cabinet by winning the World Cup – something Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t do at Qatar 2022. Argentina beat France in one of the greatest games ever seen, he added. Looking ahead, will this be the end for the Argentina and Portugal superstars and two of the sport’s greatest ever players at the World Cup.
The way he is the football world king and announcing his retirement well before the commencement of the Qatar World Cup by Messi, losing a match against Saudi Arabia, staging a comeback by his team he led and winning the unmatched final against strong team like France, is actually a dreams come true of Messi, Shahid said.
It was certainly the God-given farewell for Messi – that proved him as the King of Football world, Shahid said, adding, such farewell for a player like Messi deserved. Shazada Sikandar, the King of Polo, is associated with freestyle polo since his childhood, known as King of Polo in Chitral. Playing freestyle polo for the last 30 years, Sikandar has made Chitral polo team undefeatable against its arch-rival Gilgit-Baltistan, recording eight consecutive wins of the Shandur Polo Cup.
Earlier, His Excellency Mr. Leopoldo Sahores, Ambassador of Argentina, well come all the guests and other dignitaries to the celebration party especially to the Ambassador of France and recalled the time when the two teams were playing the final wherein no one even predicted about any team victory till the end.
Leopoldo Sahores, Ambassador of Argentina said the celebration is still continuing and thanked the Pakistani fans for his team. He said the Football King Messi got King Style Farewell from his fans across the world including Pakistan.
“We want to work for the promotion of football in Pakistan like provision of coaches and other support, exchange of football youth, and want to work and support both female and male football players of Pakistan,” he added.
He said Lionel Messi had finally done it by winning a most prestigious, nicely organized, Qatar World Cup wherein Ronaldo had seven goals and Messi scored six goal. At the end, Shahid Khan presented him with a traditional Pashtun Turban (Kola) and shawl.
