2018 FIFA WC: Fans burn Messi's jersey ahead of facing Israel. Find out why?
XtraTime Web Desk: Last World Cup’s runners-up Argentina will face Israel in their last warm-up game ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It will be the last chance for Argentine star Lionel Messi to prepare ahead of the grand carnival of football, but the fans from Palestinian aren’t happy with him. Earlier the match was scheduled to be played in Haifa but later it was moved to Jerusalem.
The city, which is a highly sensitive area, will now host a worldwide icon and Palestinians feel that the Israeli government is turning a regular sports match into a political tool by changing the venue.
Some football fans have already burned Messi shirts in protest as they want Messi to call off his participation in the game.
"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," Palestinian FA Chief Jibril Rajoub was reported by Haaretz as saying.
A small group of young football fans wearing Palestine soccer scarves demonstrated outside the Argentinean representation office and attempted to set fire to an Argentinian flag.Soccer-Fans Should Burn Messi Shirts if He Plays in Jerusalem Urges Palestinian Football Chiefhttps://t.co/RLkbtWukkB pic.twitter.com/HiYcovJQb1
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) June 4, 2018