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South American football fans are leaning towards supporting Spain against Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, for several unexpected reasons.

A widely circulated photo of Spanish player Lamine Yamal wearing a Brazil shirt with the caption 'Hope of the Brazilian people' has highlighted this unusual situation.

The reactions go beyond the historical rivalry between Brazil and Argentina. Fans in Mexico, Colombia, and Chile have expressed their hope for Argentina's defeat, with Colombian sociologist Germán Gómez saying 'the dynamic of solidarity with Argentina has collapsed.'

Gómez added that social media has fueled narratives claiming Argentina receives preferential treatment from FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino.

Some fans accused Argentina of benefiting from refereeing decisions, with Brazilian fan Francisco Santos saying 'the referees have helped Argentina,' while reports emerged of celebrations in São Paulo when England scored against Argentina in the semi-final.

Santos added: 'I would rather see Spain crowned champions for the second time than Argentina for the fourth time.'

Argentina's image has also been affected by allegations of racism involving fans and players, including the controversial song the team sang after winning the 2022 World Cup that targeted black French players.

FIFA also condemned racism during this World Cup after an Argentine fan made a racist comment on the live stream of the American known as 'iShowSpeed'.

Mexican professor Jorge Negro revealed 'It turns out this World Cup was very political,' while Gómez said that Messi is often seen in current narratives as FIFA's favorite compared to the image of Diego Maradona as someone who challenged the governing body of football.

Despite the criticism, some fans continue to support Argentina out of regional loyalty, as Peruvian student Valentino Tucto said: 'I will support Argentina because it is a South American country.'

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