Every four years, Dhaka transforms. The streets of Bangladesh’s capital become a sea of light blue and white, rooftops fly massive banners, and neighborhoods engage in fierce rivalries.
The city’s passionate, unconditional support for the Argentina national football team is world-famous. However, football is more than just beautiful goals and iconic players; it is a reflection of values.
Recent, deeply disturbing events surrounding the Argentine team and its fan culture demand that fans in Bangladesh ask themselves a difficult question: Does this team deserve your loyalty?
The romance between Dhaka and Argentina is built on a shared love for the sport and Maradona (and Messi), but that love has become entirely one-sided.
In recent years, a toxic element within Argentine football culture has repeatedly come to light. We saw it when national team players participated in and popularized discriminatory chants targeting minority players.
More recently, during the 2026 World Cup in the United States, FIFA had to launch formal investigations into explicit racism from Argentine supporters.
From a fan hurling dehumanizing slurs at popular creators to systemic abuse targeting Black and minority athletes -- such as the incident during the Argentina vs Cabo Verde match -- the pattern is clear.
Even worse, these actions are frequently minimized, excused, or protected by sections of the country’s political and sporting establishment.
When racism is treated as banter rather than a structural issue, it ceases to be the action of a few bad apples. It becomes a cultural problem.
Dhaka’s loyalty to Argentina largely stems from a historical anti-colonial sentiment, a feeling of solidarity with a Global South nation that once humbled colonial powers on the pitch. But we must face reality: That solidarity is an illusion.
Argentine football culture frequently leans heavily on a fiercely protected "European" self-image, one that has manifested in repeated xenophobic and racist incidents.
As South Asians, who have historically faced discrimination and the sting of colonial prejudice, continuing to wave the flag for a team that tolerates these exact biases is a contradiction of our own history and dignity.
Supporting a football team is a choice. Fandom is the ultimate currency in sports; it brings global visibility, commercial power, and moral validation.
When fans in Dhaka blindly celebrate a team regardless of how they behave, it signals that we care more about a trophy than human dignity.
It is time for Dhaka to leverage the power of its massive fan base. By withholding our unconditional support and demanding accountability, we send a clear message: We love the beautiful game, but we love respect and equality more.
If Argentina continues to turn a blind eye to racism, Dhaka should lower the blue-and-white flags.
Murad Qureshi is an environmental economist and former member of the London Assembly.