Football star Lionel Messi was criticized as a ‘Zionist’ and ‘Jewish’ after he donated a pair of cleats to a television show raffle in Egypt.
During a TV interview with the "Yes I am Famous" show, broadcast on MBC's Misr Channel, the Argentine footballer told the presenter he would like to donate his football boots to charity.
However, in Egypt shoes are considered a symbol of disrespect or an insult, and a local politician and football official rejected his donation.
Said Hasasein, a member of the Egyptian parliament and a talk show host allegedly said: “You don’t know that the nail of a baby Egyptian is worth more than your shoes? Keep your shoes to yourself or sell them to Israel.”
