Amidst the rubble of Gaza, and away from the scene of FIFA activity in North America, a World Cup simulation game was played on Thursday among players who escaped the ongoing “genocide” in Palestine.It’s a surreal scene that looks straight out of a Polanski war film.The green turf, surrounded by a destroyed city, is not only witness to the first football game streamed live in Gaza since the Israeli-led attacks began in October 2023, the six-sided game also has an interesting political context.While one team is in the national colors of Palestine, the other has a Spanish jersey – an obvious recognition of Spain’s support and recognition of the state of Palestine. It also brings the support La Rojas will get from the strife-torn region when they face Argentina in the World Cup final on Monday.The Spanish flags flying next to the Palestinians are also proof of the fact that despite all the orders from FIFA to make the World Cup apolitical, the reality is far from the rules written behind the closed doors of the headquarters in Zurich.It also does not help the cause of the world body led by Gianni Infantino that the protagonists of the MetLife Stadium on Monday will represent two countries at opposite ends of the political spectrum.While the socialist prime minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez is the strongest voice for Palestine, inclusiveness and leftist ideology in Europe, the political ideology of his Argentine counterpart can be summed up in his being one of the strongest supporters of the US President. Donald Trump.Prime Minister Javier Milei was famously quoted as saying that “the only thing left that works is Messi’s left foot”.He is an anarcho-capitalist, minarchist and libertarian conservative, who promotes conservative social values, is a supporter of Israel and has Benjamin Netanyahu as another famous friend.That his ideology may have spilled over into the World Cup venues can be seen in the racist taunts documented by some Argentina fans inflicted on a colored influencer in the US as well as the throwing of beer at Egyptian fans during the round of 16 clash with Argentina.There was an incident of some players from the 2022 World Cup winning team singing a racist song on the team bus after their victory in Qatar.It is a satire of history itself that the country that was once colonized by the Spanish empire – which stripped the land of its own people – now has the right-wing government of Milei at the helm while its colonizers stand on the left and promote diversity and socialism. And, that the finalists in Latin America were the only all-white team of the 48 countries in the World Cup while Spain had immigrant players like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams who worked with ethnic Spaniards like Pedri and Ferran Torres to bring the trophy home.It is also worth noting that the man who replaced Che-tattoo sporting Maradona as the greatest in football, remains apolitical, sees nothing to do with Trump. So, Lionel Messi also in contrast to his striking counterpart at the opposite end, 19-year-old Yamal, who waved the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s victory parade.And that’s the reality the world will see when the summit clash begins in New Jersey.However, the 2026 edition – held against the backdrop of the US and Israel’s war with Iran – is already mired in politics.While the Iran team had to move its base to Mexico due to US sanctions and was forced to rush in and out of the States for its matches, the African Referee of the Year, Somalian Omar Artan, was the victim of another sanctions by the hosts that prevented him from entering his lands to officiate at the World Cup.Therefore, when La Rojas takes the field against the Albiceleste, political feelings will remain in his background.And while a Spanish victory is likely to see La Rojigualda flying in the distant sky of Gaza, an Argentine victory would not only be a gift for Messi fans but would also make the biggest icons of the right wing – Milei, Trump and Netanyahu, who also expressed his support for Argentina – united.