Nocioni slams 'barbaric' racism claims against Argentina after World Cup final loss

Former Argentine basketball star Andrés "Chapu" Nocioni has spoken out against what he calls "barbaric" accusations of racism directed at Argentina following their defeat in the 2026 World Cup final. In a video shared on Instagram, Nocioni, a member of the famed "Golden Generation," asserted that the team "had no chance" against Spain.

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Now I have to hear that Argentina is racist. Please people, stop talking barbarities.

Nocioni rejected the racism claims, urging people to stop spreading such notions. He suggested that the animosity stems from fans' natural dislike of players not on their own team. He recalled feeling similar frustration towards Spanish players like Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro during his playing days, wishing he could have had them on his side.

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We had no chance of beating them.

The Olympic champion from Athens 2004 also criticized the intense online hate that emerged after the match, describing it as "tremendous." He noted that he received insults after congratulating Spain and acknowledging the Argentine team's performance. Nocioni concluded by congratulating Spain as the "legitimate champions" and expressing immense pride in the Argentine team's "incredible, historic" tournament run.

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Congratulations to Spain, who were legitimate champions. The Argentine team had an incredible tournament, for the history books. I feel very proud to be Argentine.