Writing for the Guardian, the sportswriter and former NBA player Etan Thomas argues that many Black Americans backed Spain over Argentina in the World Cup final not out of enthusiasm for Spain, whose colonial history is also troubled, but because of a pattern of racism and political associations linked to Argentina. He points to repeated incidents involving Argentine fans and players, and to the perceived silence of star Lionel Messi on these matters, suggesting that sporting brilliance does not excuse a reluctance to speak out, unlike figures such as Muhammad Ali or John Carlos and Tommie Smith.

The piece cites several specific examples: videos of Argentina fans directing racial slurs at Black people, Argentine players singing a racist chant about France's Black footballers after their Copa América win, streamer IShowSpeed being racially abused by fans in Argentina kit, and a burger business in Llavallol allegedly trading under a name using a racial slur. Thomas also links Argentina's president, Javier Milei, to Donald Trump-aligned politics and support for Israel's actions in Gaza, noting that Benjamin Netanyahu named Milei ahead of Messi when asked who he was supporting.