Congresswoman Sparks Debate by Linking World Cup Preferences to Racism

Rep. Jasmine Crockett suggested during a House hearing that racism may have played a role in why many fans rooted against Argentina in the World Cup final against Spain.

“And it seemed like the vast majority of the world was rooting for Argentina … or, actually, against Argentina, right?” she asked Yale historian David Blight. “And why was that?”

Blight replied with a smile, “Spain had the best team. Maybe that’s why they were rooting for them.”

Crockett then referenced “a racist history that exists as it relates to Argentina.” Earlier in the hearing she described the session as “Republicans’ white-pride rally disguised as a congressional hearing” and spoke at length about America’s history of exclusion and discrimination.

The exchange quickly circulated online, drawing both criticism and defense depending on the audience. Crockett used the moment to argue that efforts to reexamine historical narratives at institutions like the Smithsonian reflected deeper cultural conflicts.