Uruguayan publication criticizes citizens who rooted against Argentina in World Cup semifinal

A prominent Uruguayan publication has published a sharp editorial criticizing citizens who supported England over Argentina in the World Cup semifinal. The piece, featured in the weekly Búsqueda, laments that many Uruguayans experience Argentina's triumphs with discomfort and even hostility, rather than shared joy.

“

After yesterday's Wednesday victory, Argentina is once again in the final of a soccer World Cup. It could be a joy for many Orientals, but it is not. On the contrary, they suffer it; they are wishing they would fall apart once and for all.

The editorial, signed by Andrés Danza, probes the roots of this sentiment. Despite historical, cultural, and geographic proximity, it argues that a significant portion of Uruguayans resist Argentina's successes, a feeling that borders on "hatred and envy." The publication suggests this goes beyond mere football rivalry, delving into a deeper issue of Uruguayan national identity.

Búsqueda posits that Uruguay's identity is shaped by its position as a small nation nestled between regional giants, Argentina and Brazil. This dynamic, it suggests, has fostered a "little brother complex." While Uruguay's historical formation involved a diplomatic negotiation to create a buffer state between the two larger powers, the rivalry with Argentina appears more intense than with Brazil.

“

The big question is why, where does this kind of resistance to Argentine triumphs come from that looks a lot like hatred and envy.

The article concludes with a stark self-assessment: "We are an envious and distrustful people." This trait, it argues, becomes particularly evident when Argentina achieves significant international recognition, leading some Uruguayans to resent successes they themselves have not attained.

“

We are an envious and distrustful people.