After Saudi Arabia's shock win against Argentina at the World Cup 2022, a video of Saudi Arabia defender Ali Blihi went viral.
Blihi hadn't scored either of the goals that turned the tide against one of the favourites to life the World Cup. He hadn't got an assist either. But a confrontation with Lionel Messi, with the scores at 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, had football fans curious. Exactly what did Al-Bulaihi say to Lionel Messi in the wake of his nation's ultimately winning goal?
Some wondered if he was aggressively demanding the PSG player's shirt after the final whistle. Others wondered if he was merely enjoying a waffle with arguably the greatest player of all time. But it has now been revealed what the defender was saying to Messi in those moments.
"Your teammates were celebrating the second goal, you didn’t go celebrate with them," asked a reporter after the match. "You went to Messi, tapped him on the back and looked as if you were trying to start an argument. What happened?"
Al-Bulaihi's answer might surprise many. "Nothing," he replied. "i just said to him, 'Look at me, you are not winning today!' That's what I said to Messi."
In a bizarre show of confidence, Al-Bulaihiwas informing Messi – a player who has scored more than 780 goals for club and country across a glittering career – that there was no way his Argentina team-mates would find a way through the Saudi Arabian defence again that afternoon.
Given that the second Saudi goal came in only the 53rd minute, it was a bold statement. It may have worked, however, with Messi and his countrymen struggling to find a way through their stubborn opponents en route to a historic defeat in Qatar.
It might be the grandest stage of all, but football sh*thousery is still very much a weapon at the World Cup.
