Palestine FA Chief Tells Fans to Burn Lionel Messi Shirts If He Faces Israel

Palestinian football association chief Jibril Rajoub has called on fans to "target" Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi should he take part in Argentina's controversial friendly against Israel in Jerusalem on Saturday.

He specifically picked out the five-time Ballon d'Or winner due to his huge profile and said fans should burn their Messi shirts and pictures, per Dejan Kalinic of Goal: "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."

Per Kalinic, Rajoub has accused Israel of having political motivations for the friendly.

The match at Teddy Stadium is an opportunity for Israel to test themselves against one of the best sides in the world, and it will act as Argentina's last warm-up match before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia on June 14.

However, it is a fixture that has caused dispute, with Arab Israeli MK Yousef Jabarin recently calling for Argentina to cancel the friendly, per the Times of Israel.

In a letter to the Argentinian ambassador to Israel, he wrote: "[It] sends a dangerous message to the Israeli government that the world is ignoring its gross violations of human rights."

The Associated Press (h/t The Independent) noted the Malha neighbourhood in which the match will be played is on the site of a former Palestinian village that was destroyed in the conflict surrounding Israel's establishment in 1948.

Argentina, the No. 5 ranked side in the world, could well be in contention to win the World Cup come the middle of next month.

They kick off their campaign in Group D with a match against Iceland on June 16 before facing Croatia and Nigeria.