World Cup 2026: Israel loves Argentina but do Argentinians actually love them back?

Before the World Cup 2026 final, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a message to Argentine President Javier Milei, expressing solidarity with Argentina and praising Milei as a “real friend.” This gesture came just hours before Argentina faced Spain in a match that quickly took on symbolic weight beyond its sporting significance. Spain’s victory over Argentina—1-0—did little to diminish the political undertones of the contest, which had already become a proxy for broader geopolitical tensions between Israel and Palestine. Social media platforms were flooded with posts framing Argentina as representing Israel and Spain as symbolizing Palestine. The alignment was not hard to grasp given the contrasting stances of both nations. Milei, whose government has positioned support for Israel as a cornerstone of Argentina’s foreign policy, has consistently backed Netanyahu amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He has openly discussed his conversion to Judaism and expressed a desire to relocate Argentina’s embassy to Jerusalem. In contrast, Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, called for accountability, and recognized Palestine as a sovereign state in 2024. The political divide extended even to the players on the field. Argentine star Lionel Messi has come under scrutiny for his past associations with Israel, while Spanish player Lamine Yamal raised a Palestinian flag following Barcelona’s league win. These gestures underscored the deeper ideological chasm between the two nations. Support for Argentina among Israeli officials was widespread. Beyond Netanyahu, several Israeli ministers actively promoted the notion that Argentina aligned with Israel. Argentina’s ambassador to Israel, Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish, visited far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and gifted him an Argentina jersey and a World Cup ball. Smotrich, who faces potential charges from the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in the West Bank, declared, “Every patriotic Israeli supports Argentina. Go Argentina!” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir echoed this sentiment, stating, “We will love those who love Israel. Let’s go, Argentina.” Transport Minister Miri Regev praised Milei, calling him “my friend,” while Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, also publicly celebrated Argentina’s progress in the tournament. Yet, the question remained: did Argentina reciprocate this support? The answer appeared to lie more with Milei than with the nation itself. After Argentina’s semi-final win over England, some supporters challenged the notion that the team represented Israel’s political interests. One individual, whose comments went viral, stated, “No Argentinian that is a real Argentinian supports Israel. Don’t believe our fucking president that has been put with money there.” Such sentiments reflected a growing skepticism toward Milei’s pro-Israel stance among parts of the population. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted between February and May 2026, 55% of Argentinians held either a very or somewhat unfavorable view of Israel, with only 21% expressing favorable opinions. This data suggests a significant portion of the public does not share the enthusiasm of their president toward Israel. Netanyahu himself acknowledged that Israel’s support for Argentina was largely tied to Milei rather than the country as a whole. On a podcast, he remarked, “They have a president who's a superstar… Milei is a huge friend of Israel.” During a conversation with Argentina’s ambassador, he added, “I don’t hide the fact that I’m an Argentina fan. Most Israelis are Argentina fans, because President Milei has revolutionised Argentina's relations with us. We have no greater or better friend.” This shift in diplomatic relations marks a sharp departure from Argentina’s historical position. Under former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina recognized Palestine’s statehood in 2010. Milei, however, has pursued a radically different path, aligning Argentina more closely with Israel. His policies reflect a personal ideology rooted in anarcho-capitalism, further distancing Argentina from its regional allies and complicating its international standing.