As the World Cup draws to a close and Argentina makes it to the final match, I’ve noticed something:
A lot of the online hatred toward Argentina comes from resentment toward its European heritage and success.
Argentina is overwhelmingly of European descent, mostly Christian, and has built a more orderly society than many of its neighbors. It also excels at soccer and produces striking cultural confidence. That combination draws envy from people who resent Western achievement and European roots.The same pattern appears in attacks on America and Europe. When a country embraces its heritage, maintains order, and succeeds, it becomes a target for those who define themselves by grievance rather than accomplishment. Argentina gets the hate because it refuses to apologize for being capable and rooted in its actual history. pic.twitter.com/iHoHecmNEb— Kangmin Lee | 이강민 (@kangminlee) July 18, 2026
Argentina just beat Spain at the 2026 World Cup final, 3-2.— dilemma (@actuallyimthe) July 11, 2021
Part of the reason I now find myself rooting for Argentina.