Ferran Torres’ goal gave a moment of euphoria to more than 2,000 Palestinians in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank; a place where collective joy is an extremely scarce commodity. Good news is fleeting in this land. Barely three minutes later, as the audience held their breath at the imminent victory of the Spanish national team, the broadcast of the match was stopped.
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From the podium, a member of the authorities present announced the reason. “We have just learned the news of two martyrs at the hands of settlers in the Ramallah governorate. I ask for a minute of silence (…). The match will continue without audio and once it ends, there will be no celebration.” Auda Abdul Farakhna, 53, and Ahmed Abu Mukh, 26, had been shot in the town of Deir Jarir, just 9 kilometers from the big screen. Thus, the bittersweet end of a World Cup seen through the prism of war was whistled: in silence.
“From here, this match feels like Palestine against Israel,” said Mahdi, a fan who came wrapped in a Roja flag. “The government and the people of Spain have given great support to Gaza, and we are very grateful for that,” added the young man. Pedro Sánchez’s government has become one of the most critical voices against the Israeli offensive on the Strip, and recognized the Palestinian State on May 28, 2024.
“The result of the match is an act of justice beyond football,” says a Palestinian fan after the match
Opposite him, Javier Milei’s Argentina stands as a firm ally of Benjamin Netanyahu. “I am proud to be the most Zionist president in the world,” said the Latin American leader at a press conference. Between 50,000 and 70,000 Argentines live in Israel, many of them Jews who adopted Hebrew nationality. In Tel Aviv, thousands of them gathered wrapped in flags that share white and blue.
The Israeli political leadership also saw the final as a form of revenge, thwarted by a goal in the 106th minute. In a video alongside the Argentine ambassador to Israel, Shimon Axel Wahnish, Netanyahu declared on the eve of the final: “Javier (Milei), you are a true friend, a great friend. We support you and support Argentina in many ways, including tomorrow.” The far-right ministers also closed ranks around the albiceleste.
Itamar Ben Gvir, National Security official and staunch defender of settlements in the West Bank, already had a favorite team from the start of the championship. “Do I really have to explain why I pray with all my heart for an Argentina victory tomorrow?” he proclaimed on social media before the semifinal against England.
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Israel, where thousands of citizens of Argentine origin live, rallies behind the albiceleste team
For its part, the Palestinian Authority also gave its institutional support to only one of the contenders. In Ramallah, a front row full of high-ranking Palestinian politicians and military stood up to solemnly listen to Spain’s wordless anthem. In front of them, Spanish and Palestinian pennants waved together.
“The result is an act of justice that goes beyond football,” said another excited fan. “This is not just for Palestine, but for a people who have been very supportive,” he added. Celebrations spread across various points of a Middle East marked by the current conflict between Iran and the United States. Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, and Tehran rallied behind a European team far from their territory. The shouts of joy even reached Gaza, where dozens of children and young people climbed onto ruined buildings to get a better view of the television.
Among the congratulations to La Roja, that of Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian also stood out, who took a few minutes amid the missile exchanges in the Persian Gulf to post on X: “I congratulate the people and Government of Spain on the success of the team and for deservedly winning the title of world champions. The joy of the people and Government of Spain is the joy of the people and Government of Iran.”
In the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians massively showed their support for the Spanish team
Football is politics and controversy, although, as in all wars, there are always black sheep. Shireen is the only one of her friends, teenagers from Ramallah, who wears the Argentina jersey with 10 drawn on the back. “I understand that Spain has been good to us, but I grew up watching Messi score goals with Barcelona. He is the best player in the world and I just want him to win tonight. I don’t want to know anything about political problems.”
Shireen shares with millions of fans an undeniable truth: neither flags, nor nationalisms, nor even the impact of missiles can extinguish the most human joy of seeing your favorite footballer strike a ball between the three posts.
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