Beneath the external glamour of the 'World Cup' or continental final lies a much deeper and more complex history. This history touches upon the legacy of colonialism, sharp contrasts of modern populism, and the ongoing fight against racism on the largest global stage.
The famous quote by Bill Shankly about football concerning the final match between Spain and Argentina is reflected in how fans have taken different positions. Shankly once stated: 'Some people consider football a matter of life and death... I can assure you, it is much, much more important.' This comment was made by a football manager who valued the game, seeing in it a connection to society, passion, and his socialist ideals.
Although Spain colonized Argentina in the 16th century, establishing the first settlement in 1536 and ruling it through various outposts, Spanish rule ended with the May Revolution in 1810, after which Argentina declared independence on July 9, 1816. However, the history of the football rivalry and more recent politics attracts more attention.
The political situation demonstrates a sharp contrast between Javier Milei and Pedro Sánchez. Javier Milei, elected President of Argentina in December 2023, marked a significant and deliberate shift in the country's foreign policy. He moved away from the neutrality or openness to the Palestinian cause that existed under previous Peronist governments. Under the current president, the country has become associated with a fervent pro-Israel and pro-American leader, loyal to the Trump regime and its policies. Critics characterize him as a fascist who has cut state services and seeks to privatize everything, especially healthcare and social security, using taxes to attract right-wing corporate elites such as Palantir.
The Brenthurst Foundation previously noted that President Javier Milei, nicknamed 'El Loco,' 'took the reins and implemented the most radical fiscal course in modern Argentine history.' They pointed out that his radical reforms—fiscal austerity and 'religious commitment to deregulation'—were aimed at saving the country from decades of economic decline. Despite being a leader of Global Right movements, he presents a contradiction. After his election in December 2023, Argentina changed its votes in the UN to align with the positions of the US and Israel, as seen in their support for UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and supporting a two-state solution.
In contrast, in Spain is the young left-wing leader Pedro Sánchez. His government has recognized the State of Palestine and actively criticizes Israeli military operations. Sánchez called the Israeli military campaign in Gaza 'the greatest genocide we have witnessed in this century.' The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), founded in 1879, supported this stance with specific measures, including a permanent ban on military trade with Israel, restricting the supply of Israeli military goods through Spanish ports and airspace, and imposing sanctions on individuals involved in human rights violations in Gaza.
The Spanish government officially joined the case of the International Court of Justice of South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, becoming the first major European nation to declare its intention to participate in the proceedings. Sánchez has also shown progressiveness regarding NATO, resisting Trump's demands for paying a certain percentage for defense, insisting that he would prefer to spend funds on healthcare and workers' social services. In terms of immigration, Sánchez and his party are dealing with issues more creatively than many other countries, launching a legalization program through royal decree that will affect about half a million immigrants, mainly from Africa and Latin America.
Sánchez does not view migrants as 'nuisances' or 'refuse,' unlike some other politicians. He opposed former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who led Spain from 2011 to 2018 on behalf of the conservative People's Party. Sánchez publicly defended the human rights agenda, stating that Spain belongs to those who love and work for it, not to those who disgrace it with xenophobic comments.
The central figure of the match is Lionel Messi and his legacy in Spanish and world football. Messi is a legend of Barcelona, and young players Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí play for FC Barcelona and Spain against a man they admired. Messi met them even before they knew who he was. At the end of 2007, during a charity photoshoot in Barcelona when Messi was twenty years old, he met infant Yamal. This took place as part of a charity raffle organized by the newspaper Diario Sport together with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The photoshoot took place in the changing room of the Camp Nou stadium. The famous photograph, in which Messi holds Yamal in a blue plastic tub, was published in the 2008 charity calendar and later reappeared 18 years later during Euro 2024, when Yamal's father, Munir Nasrawi, found and shared the picture.
Although Messi and the two 19-year-old players likely met at La Masia or within the FC Barcelona family, which has generated many fake photos, it is undeniable that they will meet on the field. The young players, who stood up for their teammates against racist attacks from Spaniards, have already achieved a moral victory. If Spain wins, it will be their victory after 16 years, and if Argentina wins, it will be their second consecutive victory.
Although the broadcasts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup look exciting and inspire admiration among fans, troubling events are unfolding behind the scenes. This tournament bears a resemblance to the legacy of the film 'Apocalypse Now,' which itself was a work combining brilliance and dark aspects.
The famous war film 'Apocalypse Now' was both an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's novel 'Heart of Darkness' and a production filled with grim moments. Initially, filming was planned to take only four months, but the actual duration exceeded this period by more than double. During filming in the Philippines, a typhoon damaged the production, and lead actor Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack at the age of 38. Furthermore, his colleagues Marlon Brando and Dennis Hopper famously refused to work together.
Marlon Brando also arrived on set overweight, which significantly differed from the image of a US Army officer he was supposed to play. The film crew faced hook infections, various tropical ailments, and exhaustion; actor Sam Bottoms later reported that a parasite contracted on the set 'destroyed his liver.' The team also had to deal with local crime and tense political disputes.
The initial budget for the film was $12 million (R196 million), but it significantly increased to over $31 million (R508 million). Accounting for inflation, this amount now exceeds $135 million (R2.21 billion), placing it among the most expensive productions of its time. After four years of arduous work, 'Apocalypse Now' was released in 1979 and received mixed reactions from the public. Nevertheless, over time, it established itself as one of the iconic war films and greatest cinematic works, despite the extreme nature of its creation.
In many ways, the story of 'Apocalypse Now' reflects the current World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. The presentation on screen turned out to be magnificent, even thrilling, and viewers watch with complete awe. The stadiums are architectural masterpieces, and the atmosphere on site is perfectly conveyed during the broadcast. Some matches showcased brilliant football, offering captivating storylines and dramatic moments of high tension.
However, the forces at play behind this spectacle remain deeply troubling. With President Donald Trump, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz continues, and the US continues to employ hardline foreign policies instead of stimulating measures. There have also been alarming signs of political interference during the World Cup. Many fans from the Global South have faced obstacles due to costly visa requirements and exorbitant travel expenses, while immigration control threatened some teams and excluded entire groups of fans from participation.
Concurrently, serious allegations persist regarding the integrity and double standards of FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino. Furthermore, the VAR system has once again sparked controversy and overshadowed the football itself in several matches. The next World Cup will span continents—Europe, Africa, and South America in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, raising serious questions about the environmental impact of such an event. As FIFA increasingly focuses on commercial expansion, the tournament may even increase from 48 to 64 teams.
On Sunday, when Spain or Argentina lifts the World Cup, Trump will be allowed to celebrate on stage with the winning team. This occurs after a highly commercialized 30-minute halftime show, which directly contradicts FIFA's own rules. Ultimately, we face two opposing truths: this World Cup has become a marvel of athletic skill and spectacle, but, just as one cannot watch 'Apocalypse Now' without hearing the ghostly echo of the madness and suffering that accompanied its creation, this tournament cannot be viewed in a vacuum. When the final whistle blows and the confetti settles, the wonder of the American stadiums will fade from memory. What remains is the unsettling realization that this extraordinary sporting spectacle was built on political hostility, systemic exclusion, and corporate greed. Like the masterpiece 'Apocalypse Now,' this tournament cannot be separated from the darkness that spawned it.
