Actor Samuel L. Jackson ignited controversy on Sunday by labeling Argentina "historically racist" in an Instagram story shared shortly after the country's World Cup final loss to Spain. The post Jackson amplified, originally from the SEC Black Alumni Network, urged Black soccer fans to refrain from supporting Argentina in the lead-up to the final.
The re-shared post, accompanied by an AI-generated image of Jackson's character from "Django Unchained" in an Argentina jersey, stated: "Dear Black People... Please do not cheer or root for Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup. Argentina has historically been one of, if not the most racist countries in the world. If you are a Black person cheering for Argentina, this is what you look like to me." The post's author implied that supporting Argentina was akin to embodying the "Uncle Tom" stereotype.
Jackson's amplification of the message drew sharp criticism from Argentinians on social media platform X. Many users pushed back against the accusation, with one commenting, "It's outrageous what this dumb*** @SamuelLJackson is saying... Someone should tell him that in Argentina, racial segregation never existed. We've always taken the same buses, gone to the same schools, and walked the same streets. They're too f***ing ignorant."
Another user expressed dismay, stating, "How ugly, that a person like Samuel L. Jackson has fallen into this anti-Argentina propaganda; sometimes it's inexplicable how the power of the media makes the ideas of a country as beautiful as Argentina change." Others questioned Jackson's knowledge of Argentine history and his decision to engage with the claims.
This incident follows other controversies involving alleged racism at the World Cup. FIFA previously launched an investigation into an incident involving YouTuber IShowSpeed during a match between Argentina and Cape Verde, prompting a statement from the organization condemning "racism, hate and discrimination in all forms."
Separately, England rugby players reportedly threatened to leave the field due to racist abuse during a match in Argentina, a year after two of their players experienced discrimination in San Juan.
Argentina ultimately lost the World Cup final 1-0 to Spain in extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal. The defending champions failed to record a shot on target during the match, and Enzo Fernandez was sent off.