Lionel Messi's last-minute goal helped Argentina secure a 1-0 win over Iran in the FIFA World Cup Group F clash in Belo Horizonte on Saturday. But the goal also seems to have won him the admiration of the mostly unlikely bunch of supporters - Islamic terrorist group ISIS.
Iran came very close to pulling off a major upset until Messi fired an unstoppable volley from outside the box. And Messi's spectacular goal led to the defeat of Iran.
ISIS militants, who are Sunnis, consider Shiite Iran their enemy. An ISIS affiliated Twitter account rejoiced on Iran's defeat and hailed Messi.
The post, which is in Arabic, goes on to salute Messi for his amazing goal. The al-Qaeda offshoot then grants the title Father of Argentina to Messi, and also declares him the Prince of South America.
#داعش تحيي ميسي و تدعوه الى صفوف الجهاد و تمنحه لقب أبو مهداف الارجنتيني و تنصبه اميرا على اميركا الجنوبية و ما حولها !! #الارجنتين_إيران
— أخبار داعش نيوز (@Daash_News) June 21, 2014
ISIS then urges Messi to join the ranks of jihad. The post was tweeted by an ISIS social media campaign account, which focuses on spreading the groups propaganda online.
ISIS, which also goes by the name ISIL, is considered the most ruthless of the terrorist groups. Its methods and practices are said to be so barbaric that even al-Qaeda has severed its ties with the group.
ISIS-led militants, who want to establish an Islamic kingdom, are involved in a bloody invasion in Iraq, which is currently under Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
The country is currently caught in a bloody sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni. Their differences could be understood from the fact that a Sunni considers a Shia as an evil corruptor of Islam, while a Shia would call a Sunni an extremist and intolerant oppressor.
The divide between Sunni and Shia is rooted in the centuries-old enmity over the question of who should succeed Muhammad in leading Muslims after his death in 632.
The Twitter post, in all possibility, is just a joke to tease the Iranians over their defeat to Messi's Argentina but it also shows the extend to which ISIS can go to spread its propaganda. ISIS has been using Twitter to gain support and also to recruit in Western countries.
From the start of the 2014 World Cup, the ISIS has been attempting to gain on hashtags related to the game.
Meanwhile, Messi, who plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona, probably has no idea what he is being dragged into.
