Milei joins Argentina soccer team debate, citing 'jealousy' as cause of criticism

Argentine President Javier Milei has entered the international fray surrounding the national soccer team, using social media to suggest that critics of his compatriots are driven by "jealousy."

On Wednesday, the far-right leader posted images on Instagram with messages such as "Enemies? It means you once defended something. We defend Argentina," and "The problem with Argentina is that we are eye-catching, we don't go unnoticed, they are jealous of us, and we are good at almost everything."

Milei continued this theme on Thursday, sharing posts that claimed "now the world will see what a country full of Argentines is capable of achieving." He also posted an AI-generated image of himself opening his shirt to reveal an Argentine soccer jersey, with the caption 'Long live Argentina, damn it!'

Throughout the 2026 World Cup, Milei and his cabinet actively supported the team, which reached the final against Spain. Milei stated in interviews that he closely followed the matches. Supporters of his political movement have also attempted to frame opposition figures as "hating" Messi.

This comes amid a wave of social media criticism targeting various aspects of Argentina, including accusations of referee bias during the World Cup and claims of racism. The controversy escalated when Spanish singer Rosalía shared a critical post about Argentina, which she later apologized for. This led to the cancellation of a concert in her honor in Córdoba after she received "numerous messages of hate and anger."

When asked about the negative comments, Argentine presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier stated that it is "a social media phenomenon that has had a lot of impact." He added that the president's remarks on social media, such as 'they will see what Argentines are capable of doing with Argentina,' reflect the beginning of an economic program that is improving the country.