ByJUAN MELAMED/JTA

JULY 11, 2026 05:43

Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi stands among the finest athletes the game has ever seen and has amassed an impressive collection of titles across his professional journey.

Over the years Messi has maintained a careful public profile, steering clear of political statements and avoiding major disputes.

Still the 39-year-old has drawn attention at times for backing Jewish initiatives and Israeli firms, and on occasion he has been drawn into Middle East tensions without seeking involvement, such as when an Argentine-born grandmother credited him with helping spare her life during the October 7, 2023 assault on her Israeli kibbutz.

Messi's record has gained renewed attention amid this year's World Cup as Argentina faces Switzerland in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Detractors of Israel have pointed to his earlier actions to suggest that rooting against Argentina aligns with anti-Zionist views, while many Israelis continue to cheer for the side.

Before the matchup, here is a chronological review of ten instances in which Messi and his prominence crossed paths with Jewish and Israeli spheres through appearances, peace efforts, disputes and other events.

Messi's greeting to Argentine Maccabiah squad

1. During July 2013 Messi delivered a note to the Argentine Maccabiah squad ahead of their departure for the Jewish Games in Israel. This was not his initial show of support for the local Jewish population, as he had joined a 2011 effort calling for justice regarding the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires that claimed 85 lives.

2. The following month he toured the Western Wall during a peace visit alongside Barcelona F.C. The squad conducted training sessions for young people from Israel and Palestine and held meetings with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

3. In September 2014 Messi lent his name to a peace match in Rome arranged by Pope Francis aimed at fostering dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, though an injury kept him from playing. Argentine icon Diego Maradona and Israeli athlete Yossi Benayoun took part along with players from Russia, Cameroon, Italy, France and Brazil.

4. In 2016 Egyptian officials criticized Messi as Jewish and a Zionist after he gave his cleats to a charity in Egypt. Then-Egyptian Football Federation spokesman Azmi Mogahed called into a broadcast to attack Messi, stating he knew the player was Jewish, had given to Israel and visited the Western Wall, adding that Egypt did not require his footwear and its needy did not want assistance from someone holding Jewish or Zionist ties.

5. In June 2018 Argentina's national side dropped a friendly against Israel's national team after pressure from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign. A BDS Argentina effort used the slogan Argentina do not go. The Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires noted the cancellation stemmed from threats against Messi that prompted solidarity from his teammates.

6. Two months later FIFA barred the leader of the Palestinian soccer organization for issuing threats toward Messi. Jibril Rajoub, who had pushed FIFA to penalize Israel, received a one-year suspension after calling on followers to destroy images and jerseys if Messi or the Argentine team had appeared for the canceled friendly.

7. In 2019 Argentina's national soccer side confirmed it would face Uruguay in a friendly in Tel Aviv that November after the prior cancellation. The BDS movement again targeted the event with demonstrations outside a Barcelona training site urging Messi to stay away. The contest proceeded regardless, and Messi netted a goal before a full house of 29,000 spectators that included Israeli President and soccer enthusiast Reuven Rivlin at Bloomfield Stadium.

8. In 2020 Messi agreed to a three-year deal as brand ambassador for Israeli firm OrCam, known for tools aiding the visually impaired. This followed an earlier promotion of an Israeli company when Tel Aviv-based Sirin Labs named him global ambassador in December 2017.

9. On October 7, 90-year-old Esther Cunio of Kibbutz Nir Oz invoked Messi to a Hamas attacker who arrived to abduct her, likely preserving her life. During the incident Cunio inquired whether the assailant enjoyed soccer before noting she came from Messi's homeland, then asked Messi to aid in freeing her grandson.

Jewish lobby faulted after Algerian World Cup defeat

10. Last month following Messi's hat trick in a 3-0 Argentina win over Algeria at the World Cup, an Algerian broadcaster attributed a disputed missed penalty call to the Jewish lobby. Analyst Mustafa Mazzouzi claimed Messi receives protection from that lobby.

He stated the lobby directs global affairs at will like a criminal group and that FIFA President Infantino does not wish Algeria success. He further noted Algeria's positions on Western Sahara and the Palestinian question as reasons others seek to hinder the team. Separately a Palestinian TikTok creator with more than 350,000 followers proposed that Argentina merited elimination from the World Cup due to Messi's repeated links to Israel.

Messi dons the number 10 jersey, usually given to the top player on a squad, yet with eleven athletes on the field an extra point follows.

11. The World Zionist Organization featured a wordplay on Messi in a 2020 Hebrew instructional clip noting that the Hebrew term mesibah signifies party or fiesta in Spanish. In Spanish the phrase sounds like Messi va or Messi goes, meaning if Messi goes it becomes a celebration.