Javier Milei The President of Argentina points out that envy is why others do not want Argentina involved in the World Cup.
On 26 July 2026 GMT+7, following an online petition signed by over 23 million people calling for a lifetime ban on Argentina from the World Cup, President Javier Milei hinted that this incident arose because other countries envy Argentina.
- Origin of the controversy -
This controversy arose after Argentina lost 0-1 to Spain in extra time in the 2026 World Cup final. The petition titled “Argentina Out” gathered 23,316,108 signatures from 170 countries worldwide, far surpassing its initial goal of 5 million signatures, nearly breaking the record for the most-signed online petition in history.
The petition organizers accused FIFA and the referees of bias favoring Argentina and team captain Lionel Messi, questioning why other teams should compete if the winner is already predetermined.
- Behavior causing dissatisfaction -
The dissatisfaction with Argentina also stems from post-match events, including Argentine players holding political signs about the Falkland Islands after defeating England in the semifinals. After the final, violent clashes occurred when Leandro Paredes confronted several Spanish players. While the Spanish team celebrated their championship, most Argentine players turned their backs to the trophy. FIFA has opened an investigation into these incidents.
- Reaction from the Argentine Football Association -
Claudio Tapia, President of the Argentine Football Association, politely acknowledged that Spain was the better team and deserved the win. However, President Javier Milei posted a fierce rebuttal on social media, viewing the criticism as envy toward Argentina's success.
"Do you have enemies? That means you once stood up for something. We fight for Argentina. Our problem is that we stand out too much, so people envy us."
Currently, there is no evidence confirming that FIFA or the referees were involved in corruption or bribery as alleged.