TECH

"VARgentina": AI-generated memes alleging Infantino favored Messi go viral after Argentina's comeback win against Egypt

Argentina's comeback victory over Egypt in the World Cup Round of 16 last Tuesday (7) sparked a wave of memes and accusations against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, driven by internet users' suspicions that the South American team was receiving preferential treatment.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Egypt threatened Argentina's goal for the second time. However, a goal by midfielder Zico was disallowed after French referee François Letexier called a foul on Argentine defender Lisandro Martínez at the start of the play. In the 22nd minute, Zico struck again, officially scoring the Egyptian team's second goal.

In the 34th minute, Argentina narrowed the deficit with a goal from defender Cristian Romero; in the 38th, they equalized through Messi—who had missed a penalty in the first half—and in the 48th, they took the lead with a header from Enzo Fernández.

The elimination fueled the "VARgentina" hashtag on social media, along with AI-generated images featuring Messi and Infantino, stemming from suspicions that FIFA was steering the tournament to benefit the player and his national team.

The FIFA chief has faced a series of controversies during his tenure... This incident adds to a list of controversies already surrounding Infantino's leadership at FIFA. Prior to the match between Argentina and Egypt, the organization's decision to lift the suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun for the Round of 16 clash against Belgium had also caused unease.

According to the BBC, UEFA described the decision as a "red line" crossed by FIFA, and former manager Jürgen Klopp stated that if Trump and Infantino had indeed resolved the matter between themselves, it "calls everything into question." Infantino himself denied any political interference, stating that the organization's disciplinary committee is independent.

Other episodes fueling mistrust regarding Infantino's leadership include:

The creation of the FIFA Peace Award, presented to Trump during the World Cup draw—an initiative criticized by the human rights NGO FairSquare for allegedly violating the organization's political neutrality rules;

The case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was barred from entering the United States by immigration authorities;

The selection of Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 World Cup—a decision the Norwegian federation described as a threat to confidence in FIFA's good governance reforms;

And the creation of the Club World Cup, described by FIFPRO president Sergio Marchi as a tournament imposed "without dialogue, sensitivity, or respect."

Despite the damage to his image, Infantino's position at the helm of FIFA remains secure. The current president has already secured the support of the South American, African, and Asian confederations for his 2027 re-election bid, garnering at least 111 of the 106 votes needed to win. These figures effectively rule out any rival candidacy, even if UEFA decides to make a definitive break with the executive.

mundophone