Football fever seems to have hit the UFC world, but with a political twist. With the most-anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina a few days away, Khabib Nurmagomedov shared a cryptic post, shedding light on which team he would be supporting. His Instagram story featured a quote by Argentine football great Diego Maradona saying, “In my heart, I am Palestinian.” In another post, Khabib referred to the World Cup final as a clash between “Israel-loving Argentina and Palestine-loving Spain”.
While it was a genuine political take from the UFC icon, he also made it clear, “I know who I’m supporting.” He supposedly took a dig at Argentina, highlighting their geopolitical ties with Israel. Meanwhile, Spain has time and again shown its support for Palestinian sovereignty.
Is UFC legend Khabib a ‘Maradona fan’?
As Khabib paid his tribute to Diego Maradona, his caption read, “One and only from Argentina”. Despite being an admirer of the Argentine, the UFC superstar could be supporting the Spain national football team in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final this Sunday.
Lamine Yamal, one of the best players of this Spanish unit, was spotted waving a Palestine flag during a victory parade in Barcelona. The Spanish political leaders have also expressed discontent over military escalations in Gaza, earning praise from Palestine supporters across the world during the ongoing war.
📌 Khabib Nurmagomedov’un paylaşımları:
“Dünya Kupası finali şu iki takım arasında olacak:
İsrail (Arjantin’i destekleyenler)
🆚
FİLİSTİN (İspanya’yı destekleyenler)
Ben kimi destekleyeceğimi biliyorum!”
Khabib: ‘’Arjantin’in tek efsanesi.” (Maradona hakkında) pic.twitter.com/JrSZ2MPgWv
— EPL Günlükleri #WC2026 (@EPL_Gunlukleri) July 17, 2026
Can Lionel Messi give Argentina their 4th FIFA World Cup?
While Khabib is rooting for Spain, Lionel Messi, arguably the best student of Maradona, would be keen to end his illustrious final World Cup campaign on a high. While the Spanish fans will be expecting the best from the youngsters, Argentines will have their eyes on Messi. Both teams flexed their strength in the semi-finals and will be brimming with confidence. As the two generations of Barcelona, in the form of Messi and Yama, face off in New York, fans hope to witness a thrilling showdown, with the ultimate prize up for grabs.
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