RAMALLAH / Qais Abu Samra / Anadolu Agency

On both official and popular levels, Palestinian celebrations prevailed over Spain's crowning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup title, and Palestinians linked this sporting achievement to Madrid's supportive positions towards their cause.

The Spanish national team won the title for the second time in its history, after beating its Argentine counterpart 1-0 after extra time on Sunday evening.

Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 106th minute, with a shot from inside the penalty area following a header from his teammate Nico Williams.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico hosted the 23rd edition of the tournament between June 11 and July 19, with 48 teams participating for the first time.

** Official Congratulations

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday congratulated Spain's King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on their country's team winning the most prominent title in the world of football at the national team level.

Abbas said in a message to the king that this "great global sporting achievement" was the fruit of effort and perseverance, expressing his wishes for Spain and its people for further progress and success.

He also sent a similar congratulatory message to Sanchez.

Spain, at both official and popular levels, shows strong support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, especially their right to establish an independent state as stipulated in relevant United Nations resolutions.

As for Argentina, there is a division in positions towards Palestine; while President Javier Milei expresses absolute support for Israel, a large segment of the Argentine people shows strong solidarity with the Palestinian people and their rights.

In 1948, Israel was established on lands occupied by armed Zionist gangs that committed massacres and displaced at least 750,000 Palestinians. Then Tel Aviv occupied the rest of the Palestinian territories and refuses to withdraw and establish the Palestinian state stipulated in UN resolutions.

** Popular Celebrations

Palestinian cities, including Bethlehem, Hebron, and Nablus, witnessed celebrations involving hundreds of Palestinians who took to the streets waving the flags of Spain and Palestine.

The Spanish political stance was strongly present in the Palestinian interaction, as activists and artists recalled Madrid's pro-Palestinian positions, its recognition of a Palestinian state, and its repeated criticism of the Israeli genocide war in Gaza.

On October 8, 2023, Israel, with American support, began the genocide war in Gaza, which left more than 73,000 dead and over 173,000 Palestinian wounded, most of them children and women.

Palestinian cartoonist Alaa al-Laqta embodied this link in an artwork in which he drew the World Cup topped by images of four players of the Spanish national team, including Lamine Yamal, raising the Palestinian flag.

The drawing, published on the American platform Facebook, referred to Spain's pro-Palestinian positions and to Yamal raising the Palestinian flag on a previous occasion.

Yamal raised the flag of Palestine last May 11, when he was with the rest of the Barcelona players on an open-top bus touring the streets of the Catalan city among huge crowds, celebrating the crowning of the Spanish league "La Liga" title.

Palestinian cartoonist Mohammad Sabaaneh also published on Facebook a drawing showing Yamal raising the Palestinian flag, while the Palestinian flag turns into a hand carrying the Spanish flag, in a symbolic expression of mutual solidarity.

** Messages of Gratitude

Palestinian journalist Alaa al-Rimawi wrote that the World Cup final turned in Israel into a confrontation with political dimensions.

Al-Rimawi said: "The defeat that Israelis wished for... why did Spain become the opponent in the World Cup final?"

He added that Israeli media and officials expressed a desire for the Spanish team to lose, against the backdrop of Madrid's positions on the Israeli genocide war in Gaza.

He pointed out that an Israeli rabbi said he 'prayed for the fall of Spain,' considering that it still represents in Jewish memory the meanings of historical persecution.

Palestinian academic Nidal Amro wrote on his social media account: 'When fierce joy meets submissive sorrow in one moment... Congratulations Spain... Congratulations Palestine.'

As for Palestinian businessman Bashar al-Masri, he wrote: 'From Palestine to Spain... We support those who stood with us, supported us, and raised our flag high.'