Football and national identity, how Spaniards see Argentines now | OneFootball

The relationship between football and national identity is undergoing particularly close scrutiny following the recent sporting milestones of Argentina and Spain. Alejandro Quiroga explored this link in depth in an exclusive interview.

Speaking with La Voz En Vivo, he addressed the mutual perceptions that exist on both sides of the Atlantic and how sport shapes these images.

According to Quiroga, football often triggers stereotypes and confirmation biases that connect national characteristics to teams, frequently operating within nationalist or political frameworks.

Nationalism and the “soufflé” effect

Quiroga explains that World Cups and top-level competitions spark very intense but short-lived patriotic fervor, comparing the phenomenon to a “soufflé” that quickly collapses.

“Victory brings people together a great deal, but these are moments of national euphoria that act as glue; then, a few days later, the social or economic problems are still there,” the expert noted.

For the analyst, the “master narratives” surrounding national identities are very difficult to change, so a sporting success does not usually transform the general perception of a society.

Historical ties versus political tension

Regarding the recent institutional frictions between the governments of Javier Milei and Pedro Sánchez, Quiroga argued that citizens generally manage to distinguish between leaders and the population as a whole.

The interviewee stressed that there are deep historical, family, and migratory ties in both directions, and that these prevail over temporary political rhetoric.

“Hardly anyone thinks that figures as outlandish as Milei represent all Argentinians, just as people did not think Trump was all Americans,” Quiroga said.

The situation of Argentine migrants

Regarding the perception of Argentinians who emigrate to Spain for economic reasons, the expert observed that, despite the existence of xenophobic attitudes, this group enjoys a favorable image.

Of all the migrant communities that have arrived on the peninsula in recent years, Quiroga believes Argentinians are probably the ones who face the fewest perception-related problems from local sectors.

“A xenophobe is always a xenophobe, but Argentinians are perhaps the best positioned within migrant groups in Spain,” he explained during the interview.

The Messi factor and the footballing perspective

Asked whether Lionel Messi’s figure creates divisions in Spain depending on support for Barcelona or Real Madrid, Quiroga said that the view today is far more nuanced.

Although he acknowledged that partisan positions do exist, he maintained that the Argentine captain’s quality as one of the best players of all time is practically beyond dispute for the Spanish public.

“The number of great moments Messi has given football in general makes his quality obvious and something that should no longer be debated beyond rivalries,” the expert concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.