Qatar emir hails 'exceptional' World Cup giving fans the chance to see the 'richness' of Arab culture

Qatar's ruler said on Sunday that the Gulf state had delivered on a vow to hold an "exceptional" World Cup.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who gave Argentina captain Lionel Messi a traditional Arab cloak after his side won the trophy, paid tribute to the finalists and fans in a Twitter statement after the match.

"We have fulfilled our promise to organise an exceptional championship by Arab countries, which provided an opportunity for the people of the world to learn about the richness of our culture and the originality of our values," the emir said.

نهاية مشوار تليق بالبطل الأسطورة ليونيل ميسي 🤍👏🏻✨#الارجنتين #مونديال_قطر_2022 pic.twitter.com/CBMOjLEwc7

— مــريــم آل ثــانــي (@ALThani_M) December 18, 2022

Qatar spent more than $200 billion on stadiums and new infrastructure ahead of the first World Cup in an Arab nation, which FIFA leader Gianni Infantino has said was the "best ever".

The World Cup has been a tournament of twist and turns, from Saudi Arabia beating Argentina in the opening games to Morocco reaching the semi-finals. 

Messi was prominently pictured wearing a 'bisht' traditional cloak that the emir presented the Argentina icon before he lifted the World Cup trophy.