World Cup 2022
After World Cup victory: Argentine fans burn coffin with Mbappé’s face on it
Mbappé after the game and on the “coffin”.
© Imago Images
The celebrations in Argentina attracted several million people after the World Cup victory. However, some of them celebrated their national team’s victory with questionable gestures.
From a sporting point of view, the World Cup final between Argentina and France was one of the best World Cup games ever: Both teams fought a thrilling duel, the French were able to equalize the lead of the Argentines again and again.
What was a fair argument on the pitch ended in ugly scenes afterwards: It was already known that Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez sarcastically asked his team for “a minute’s silence for Mbappé”, “who is dead”, while celebrating in the dressing room.
Some Argentinian fans in the capital Buenos Aires also seem to have taken a cue from this unsportsmanlike attitude: While the Argentinians received and celebrated their heroes there, not all of them seemed to just want to enjoy the positive atmosphere of the victory. A video posted on Twitter shows Argentine fans celebrating their victory with a very special poster: the poster is designed in the shape of a coffin, and Mbappé’s face is taped onto the coffin. During the celebrations they burn the coffin.
None of the surrounding fans seem to have anything against the unsavory poster: none of them intervened during the video, the fan can raise the burning poster undisturbed.
The reason for the anger about Mbappé could be an interview with the striker before the World Cup. He told a Brazilian media outlet there: “Argentina and Brazil are not playing at a high enough level to get to the World Cup. Football in South America is not as advanced as it is in Europe.” That is also the reason why the European teams always win – for Argentina, of course, a provocation.
Nevertheless, the video causes a lack of understanding on social media: Many fans describe the scenes as “going too far”, reminding them that the World Cup was “only sport” and Mbappé “only played football”.