20.07.2026 12:11
Although Lionel Messi stays away from political controversies, he has not been able to avoid being used as "PR" material by governments. During the World Cup process, Israel's perception management efforts through Messi drew reactions from audiences sensitive to Gaza, while the star player's million-dollar deal with Saudi Arabia and his White House visit under Donald Trump's shadow fueled conspiracy theories. Maintaining his political silence, Messi left Milei's moves in domestic politics unanswered.
Lionel Messi, regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, has preferred to remain silent on political issues throughout his career, but he could not avoid being the biggest "political PR" material for global powers and governments. During the 2026 World Cup process, Israel's attempts to claim Messi drew backlash, while the star player's "silent" stance, ranging from his Saudi Arabia deal to his White House visit, reignited massive conspiracy theories and political debates.
ISRAEL'S PR CAMPAIGN BEFORE THE FINAL
Before the 2026 World Cup final, Israel, which did not participate in the tournament, made one of the most aggressive PR moves by having its ministers share support messages for Lionel Messi wearing Argentina jerseys. However, this move by the Tel Aviv administration sparked major backlash from masses protesting against the genocide policies in Gaza.
While criticism focused on photos of Messi from his 2013 visit to Israel taken in front of the Western Wall, Argentina's pro-Israel far-right President Javier Milei also exploited this controversy for domestic politics. Milei, whose popularity is declining, used the star footballer as a shield against his opponents, saying, "If you mess with Messi, you mess with all of us."
"LOBBY" CONTROVERSIES AFTER ALGERIA AND EGYPT MATCHES
Argentina's progress in the tournament also brought serious off-field speculation. In the match at the start of the World Cup where Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0, Messi not receiving a red card for an intervention was harshly criticized by Algerian sports analyst Mustafa Mazzouzi: "This lobby runs the world like a mafia. We know FIFA President Infantino does not have good intentions toward us. They do not want us to succeed because of our firm stance on Palestine and Western Sahara issues."
In the round of 16, Egypt's controversially disallowed goal against Argentina and the Argentine Football Federation being investigated by the FBI for money laundering allegations were other factors that strengthened "Zionist conspiracy" claims throughout the tournament.
$25 MILLION "CENSORSHIP"
The race to use Messi by political figures is not limited to the Middle East. According to documents disclosed by The New York Times, Messi signed a 3-year, $25 million ambassadorship agreement with the Saudi Tourism Authority. The most striking clause in the contract was that Messi could not say anything that would "tarnish" the kingdom's image.
A similar silence occurred in the US. Messi, who won the MLS championship with Inter Miami, was hosted at the White House by US President Donald Trump along with his team. Messi did not speak at the ceremony, but his silence did not prevent Trump from boasting on stage about the military operations conducted alongside Israel and using war rhetoric like, "We are destroying the enemy at levels people have never seen before."
CONTRASTING MARADONA
Unlike the late legend Diego Maradona's clear anti-imperialist and leftist political stance, Messi has always chosen a policy of "political ambiguity" in his career. Although sociological surveys show that liberal voters support Messi while conservatives support Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi has always avoided these labels. The 39-year-old superstar, who left President Milei's support messages uncommented, remained silent about the deep economic crisis experienced by the Argentine people despite not engaging in political polemics. In an interview following the victory against England, he summarized the importance of the cup for the people with these words:
"We know that World Cups are special for us. In this process, we forget all the bad things we go through; our people who are going through tough times, who are unemployed, who cannot make ends meet, or who are constantly struggling. We are proud to be able to bring them this joy."