Mia Khalifa and Piers Morgan were singled out during a fiery TV segment after publicly supporting Argentina's opponents in the World Cup final.
Spain ultimately lifted the World Cup trophy, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in extra time to seal the victory. The result sparked strong reactions, including criticism of several high-profile figures who had hoped Argentina would lose.
The controversy didn't end with the final whistle. After the match, several Argentina players became involved in a heated on-field confrontation, triggering a mass brawl that drew widespread criticism.
The fallout also extended beyond the pitch. During a fiery television segment, Argentine host Flavio Azzaro criticized several public figures who had openly supported Argentina's opponents, including former adult film star Mia Khalifa and broadcaster Piers Morgan, accusing them of rooting against the national team.
During an appearance on Todo Noticias, Argentine TV presenter Jonatan Viale drew attention by unveiling a tongue-in-cheek "Argentinophobia" lineup featuring ten well-known public figures he claimed had rooted against Argentina.
Presented in the style of a football team's starting XI, the segment singled out celebrities and media personalities who had criticized or opposed Argentina during the tournament. The unusual format quickly went viral, adding another chapter to the heated debate that followed the World Cup final.
During the broadcast, Jonatan Viale also criticized several international figures for comments they had made about Argentina throughout the tournament.
Referring to Piers Morgan, Viale said critics from England had no standing to lecture Argentina, arguing that Britain still carried the legacy of colonialism. He also claimed that England's frustration with Argentina stretched back decades, mentioning both Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi while noting that England has not won a men's World Cup since 1966.
Mia Khalifa was included in Viale's satirical "Argentinophobia" lineup after repeatedly supporting Argentina's opponents during the competition. Ahead of the semifinal, she joked that she would buy a Jude Bellingham jersey after the England midfielder was involved in an on-field incident with Valentín Barco. Following Argentina's defeat in the final, Khalifa also celebrated a reported betting win of £1.2 million, having backed Spain to lift the trophy.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson was another name singled out during the segment. Viale criticized Jackson over previous remarks in which the actor described Argentina as one of the world's most racist countries, citing those comments as another example of what he viewed as unfair criticism directed at the nation.
Viale rejected accusations that Argentina has a history of racism, arguing that while the country faces many serious challenges, racism is not one of them.
He said Argentina struggles with issues such as corruption, poverty, inflation, crime, and economic hardship, but dismissed claims that racism is widespread, describing those accusations as unfair and uninformed.
The TV host also expanded his satirical "Argentinophobia" lineup to include several other well-known figures, including streamers iShowSpeed and Ibai, Spanish singer Rosalía, actor Pedro Pascal, Mexican politician Claudia Sheinbaum, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing them of showing bias against Argentina during or after the tournament.
Former Egypt coach Hossam Hassan was another target of Viale's criticism after alleging that Egypt's Round of 16 defeat to Argentina had been rigged. Viale dismissed the claim as another example of what he viewed as baseless criticism directed at the Argentine national team.
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