The Times of Israel published an article examining Lionel Messi's relationship with Jewish and Israeli life, noting that the Argentine star is Catholic and that anti-Zionists are rooting against Argentina due to unfounded claims about his Zionism and Judaism.
The Times of Israel published an article Saturday examining the relationship between Argentine football star Lionel Messi and Jewish and Israeli life, noting that the player is Catholic and that anti-Zionist sentiment has fueled opposition to Argentina in the World Cup. The piece addresses unfounded claims about Messi's purported Zionism and Judaism, which have led some anti-Zionists to root against Argentina as the team faces Switzerland in the quarterfinals. As The Zioneer has previously reported, similar antisemitic conspiracy theories have surfaced during the tournament, including an Algerian commentator blaming the 'Jewish lobby' for Algeria's loss to Argentina and Egyptian fans launching an antisemitic campaign against a referee after Egypt's defeat. The article notes that Israelis, by contrast, have cheered for Messi.
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