The FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, scheduled for Sunday, has extended beyond the sporting arena, becoming the focus of political debate across social media platforms as users and commentators linked the match to the contrasting positions of the two countries on the war in Gaza and the Palestinian issue.

According to The Times of Israel, the final has increasingly been portrayed online as a symbolic confrontation between two nations that hold opposing positions toward Israel and the Palestinians.

The report said this perception has been reinforced by the countries’ differing political stances. Since taking office in December 2023, Argentine President Javier Milei has significantly strengthened relations with Israel, making it one of Argentina’s closest international partners.

In contrast, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has emerged as one of the strongest critics of Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip and among the most prominent supporters of recognizing a Palestinian state. Spain formally recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024 alongside several other European countries.

The newspaper reported that social media platforms have seen numerous posts describing the final as “Israel versus Palestine,” while several influencers and public figures have openly backed one of the two teams based on their governments’ political positions.

Among them is former mixed martial arts champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is widely known for supporting the Palestinian cause. He shared a message on Instagram saying he already knew which team he would support in the final.

The report also highlighted Spanish international Lamine Yamal, who attracted widespread attention after appearing with the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s celebrations of its Spanish league title. Prime Minister Sánchez later praised the gesture, saying it reflected the solidarity of millions of Spaniards with the Palestinian people.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem, another prominent supporter of the Palestinian cause, has also been seen attending World Cup matches while carrying the Palestinian flag.

On the Argentine side, the newspaper noted that national team captain Lionel Messi has generally avoided making political statements throughout his career.

His association with Israel has primarily been linked to previous visits to Jerusalem, participation in football-related events connected to Israel, and professional relationships with Israeli companies.

According to The Times of Israel, this prompted some social media users to circulate old photographs of Messi during visits to Israel, alongside claims suggesting that FIFA or match officials favored Argentina because of the country's pro-Israel stance.

The newspaper quoted Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, chief executive officer of the Israeli organization CyberWell, which monitors antisemitism online, as saying that the World Cup has been exploited to spread antisemitic conspiracy theories.

She pointed to online claims referencing The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and allegations that Jews control FIFA to ensure Argentina wins the tournament.

The report also noted that the narrative circulating online has not gained universal acceptance in Argentina.

Some Argentine supporters reject portraying their national team as pro-Israel, pointing instead to the late football legend Diego Maradona’s well-known support for Palestine.

According to the newspaper, those supporters argue that President Javier Milei’s political positions do not represent the views of the entire Argentine population.

Meanwhile, football fans in the Gaza Strip organized gatherings to support Argentina and Lionel Messi during the tournament.

The report also noted that the debate comes against the backdrop of the two countries’ complex historical relationships with their Jewish communities, as well as recent controversy surrounding racist chants by some Argentine players directed at the French national team.

Regarding public support for the finalists, an opinion poll conducted in Israel found that Argentina was the preferred team for 38% of Israeli viewers.

According to the newspaper, Jewish content creator Jonathan Blatt also ranked the four World Cup semifinalists, placing Argentina first as the team he believed Jews should support, while ranking Spain last because of what he described as the anti-Israel policies of its government.