Palestinians Celebrate Spain's Victory in the Football World Cup

Match Results and Congratulations

According to Anadolu, Spain won its second World Cup title after defeating Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, 1-0 after extra time. The trophy was presented to the Spanish team by US President Donald Trump. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called this victory a 'major global sporting achievement' resulting from effort and perseverance in his address to King Felipe VI of Spain. He also sent similar congratulations to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Hamas also congratulated Spain on winning the World Cup.

Political Support and Context

Official Hamas representatives, Bassem Naim, stated in Palestinian media: 'We congratulate Spain on its well-deserved victory in the World Cup, and we congratulate Palestine and its supporters on their joy.' Spain demonstrates strong official and public support for the Palestinian people and their rights, especially the right to establish an independent state in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. In Argentina, opinions regarding Palestine remain divided: President Javier Milei expressed absolute support for Israel, while a significant portion of the Argentine population continues to show strong solidarity with the Palestinian people and their rights.

Historical Background and Reaction

In 1948, Israel was established on lands occupied by armed Zionist groups who committed mass killings and displaced at least 750,000 Palestinians. Later, Israel occupied the remaining Palestinian territories and continues to refuse troop withdrawal and the establishment of a Palestinian state as stipulated by UN resolutions. On social networks, activists shared videos showing Palestinians celebrating Spain's victory. The Spanish flag was visible in some footage, and young people and children were seen clapping, greeting, and chanting for Spain.

Symbolism of the Celebration

Omam Youssef wrote on social network X that 'Gaza celebrates Spain's victory because positions remain in memory, and hearts support those who stood by Gaza,' accompanying it with a video of celebrations in the enclave. These scenes of celebration attracted the attention of the entire Arab world, many of whom noted that the joy was not only related to football. Shahban Ahmed Al-Ajili from Oman wrote on X: 'From the ruins of destruction and from the depths of the pain of the genocide, Gaza celebrates Spain's victory in the 2026 World Cup.' He added that 'Gaza does not forget those who support it,' publishing a video of Palestinians celebrating Spain's title. The celebrations reflected rare moments of collective joy in Gaza, including videos of children who paid a heavy price during the Israeli genocide since October 2023, hugging in honor of Spain's victory. Spain criticized the deadly war in Gaza by Israel, which has resulted in the death of over 73,000 people and injured more than 173,000 others since October 2023. Palestinian cities, including Bethlehem, Hebron, and Nablus in the Occupied West Bank, witnessed processions where hundreds of Palestinians marched through the streets carrying Spanish and Palestinian flags. Spain's political stance was clearly expressed in the Palestinian reaction, as activists and artists recalled Madrid's support for Palestinians, the recognition of the State of Palestine, and repeated criticism of the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza.