A member of the US House of Representatives from the Democratic Party, Jasmine Crockett, stated that the widespread support for Spain in the World Cup final was related to what she described as Argentina’s “history of racism.” She expressed this view during a congressional hearing on Tuesday, which sparked controversy. According to Crockett, a significant portion of the world supported Spain over Argentina due to perceptions of the South American country’s racial history.
These remarks were made during a congressional hearing featuring historian David Blight and Antea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution. Discussing the World Cup final, Crockett asked Blight: “The last two teams were Argentina and Spain. It seemed that the vast majority of the world was rooting for… Argentina? Or, actually, against Argentina. Why do you think that happened? How would you explain it?” Blight responded that Spain “was the better team, perhaps that’s why people supported them.” Crockett dismissed this explanation, asserting that Argentina’s “history of racism” also played a role.
Reaction to racism allegations
Crockett’s statement became a viral topic on social media following Argentina’s World Cup final loss, in which Lionel Messi’s team fell 1-0. Last Monday, Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson posted on Instagram, urging Black people not to support Argentina in the World Cup. “Argentina has historically been one of, if not the most racist country in the world. If you are a Black person cheering for Argentina, this is how you look to me,” the post read, accompanied by an image of Jackson’s character from the film “Django Unchained” wearing an Argentina national team jersey.
The post triggered a wave of reactions from Afro-Argentines, anti-racist activists, and immigrants living in Argentina. They rejected this claim, stating that Argentina had been unfairly made the “villain” of the tournament amid increasingly polarized discussions. Zoe Herbaudo, an Afro-Argentine from the province of Cordoba who now resides in New York, criticized Samuel L. Jackson’s post in a video message, asserting that there is a “hate campaign” against Argentina. She also shared a video refuting claims that Argentina had “eliminated” its Black population.
Afro-Argentine singer and producer Emanuel Ntaka, a former member of the popular local boy band Mambrú, stated that claims regarding the absence of Black people in Argentina are based on the “same logic” that once rendered the Afro-Argentine community “invisible.” In a video posted on Instagram, he said: “I am Afro-Argentine, and I exist. My family exists. My community exists. Our history exists. And one of the forms of racism in Argentina was precisely making us invisible. If you really want to fight racism, let’s start by acknowledging our existence.”
