New Jersey — Spain's 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina in Sunday's 20 July World Cup final capped a tournament in which the two finalists became symbols of opposing positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with pro-Palestinian sentiment driving much of the global support for Spain over the defending champions.
In the days before the final, social media users increasingly picked sides based on each country's stance toward Israel and Gaza rather than football alone.
"World Cup: ideally, Muslims and anyone with conscience should be supporting Spain in the final because Spain recognised Palestine in 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza whereas Argentina supports Israel," user @Gooner4lif wrote on X.
West Asia-based journalist Elis Gjevori, writing under the handle @Elis_Gj, drew a comparison to the 2022 tournament.
"Palestine has again become a World Cup's subplot. In Qatar, solidarity with Palestinians dominated. This time its reflected by the finalists: Argentina, ruled by a staunchly pro-Israel leader, & Spain, a country against Israel's genocide in Gaza & supportive of Palestine," Gjevori wrote.
The contrast traces back to policy decisions by the two countries' leaders. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has positioned his government as one of Europe's most vocal critics of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, recognizing Palestinian statehood in 2024 and imposing an arms embargo on Israel.
PM Sanchez said the recognition was meant to support a two-state solution and help end Gaza's humanitarian crisis.
By contrast, Argentine President Javier Milei has made support for Israel, a hallmark of his foreign policy since taking office in December 2023, visiting the country multiple times and pledging to relocate Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly backed Argentina ahead of the World Cup final after receiving a national team jersey from Argentina's ambassador to Israel.
"I don't hide it that I'm a fan of Argentina. I think most Israeli citizens do. That is because President Milei has revolutionised Israel's relationship with Argentina, and we have no greater nor better friends," PM Netanyahu said.
In Gaza, football fans said they hoped a Spanish win would carry symbolic weight.
"Spain stood with the Palestinian cause and raised awareness internationally. We hope they will be rewarded by winning the World Cup," Mahmoud al-Afifi told Al Jazeera, adding that support for Spain should not be read as hostility toward Argentina.
Gaza amputee football coach Hatem al-Maghribi said Palestinians widely backed Spain, citing gestures of solidarity from Spanish players including Lamine Yamal, who waved a Palestinian flag during Barcelona's league title celebrations in May.
Netizens through vary social media platforms amplified the footage showing Yamal's moment when he waved a Palestinian flag, in another hand the same thing in negative tone went to Argentina's Lionel Messi, which his photo praying at the Prayer Wall in Jerusalem went viral as well.
Beyond geopolitics, some fans said their shift away from Argentina reflected changing feelings toward Lionel Messi himself. Messi's pursuit of a first title in Qatar in 2022 was one of football's defining storylines, but analysts at Al-Monitor noted his image has since undergone a reversal among some supporters, with Argentine fans separately facing accusations of racist behavior toward other national teams' supporters during this year's tournament.
Not all reaction split cleanly along political lines. Some Argentine fans rejected the framing of their team as Israel's proxy, with one supporter saying in a widely circulated video that no "real Argentinian" supports Israel.
