Arif Lohar’s Song Featured in FIFA’s Birthday Tribute to Lionel Messi

Pakistani music made headlines in football when FIFA chose folk singer Arif Lohar’s song to celebrate Lionel Messi’s birthday on social media.

Released in 2023, Lohar’s track “Aa” has captivated millions in Pakistan and captured international attention.

FIFA featured the song in an Instagram Reel highlighting Messi’s football achievements, playing Lohar’s music in the background.

The caption read “Messi ka Jadoo (Messi’s magic)” in Urdu, alongside the video on FIFA’s official Instagram.

The post excited Pakistani football fans, who expressed surprise and admiration in the comments.

One user exclaimed, “Wait, what? This was not the (collaboration) I was expecting,” while another commented, “FIFA is obsessed with Pakistani songs.” Another fan remarked, “I thought it was a meme fan page…. Things are heating up. Bohat aala (amazing).”

Lionel Messi, born on June 24, celebrated his 37th birthday this year and has won eight Ballon d’Or awards. During his 17 years at Barcelona, according to India.com, Messi claimed 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies, and seven Copa del Rey titles. He set a record for the most goals in La Liga with 474 and broke Pelé’s record by scoring his 644th goal for Barcelona in 2009.