Boycotts, backlash and apologies: Argentina row over Rosalía and Patti Smith after World Cup final
The fallout from the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina has reached the world of music. In just a few days, the singer Rosalía has seen a tribute concert to her work cancelled in Argentina and calls...
The fallout from the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina has reached the world of music. In just a few days, the singer Rosalía has seen a tribute concert to her work cancelled in Argentina and calls grow to boycott her upcoming concerts in Buenos Aires. The American artist Patti Smith has also ended up backtracking on a post about the match after receiving a wave of criticism.
The controversy erupted against a backdrop of high tension after the World Cup final. The match and the days that followed were marked by clashes between fans on social media, traded insults, harassment campaigns against public figures and several rows over the behaviour of some Argentine players and supporters, which sparked a wide-ranging debate beyond the country.
Both artists ended up apologising after some Argentine fans interpreted their messages as a dig at the national team. But what exactly did they post and why has it caused such a backlash?
"Mala mía": What did Rosalía post and why did she apologise?
The controversy began shortly after the World Cup final, when Rosalía shared on TikTok a video originally posted by influencer Mia Khalifa celebrating Spain's victory. The clip featured "La Perla", one of the songs from the album "LUX", alongside the message: "How life sounds now that the pearls have been defeated".
Many Argentine users took the phrase "the pearls" as a reference to the Albiceleste national team and felt the post was mocking their defeat. The video spread rapidly on social media before the singer deleted it.
Faced with a barrage of criticism, Rosalía posted an apology in her Instagram stories. "I hit share because 'La Perla' was playing and I didn't even read what it said, mala mía. Sorry", she wrote next to an Argentine flag. In another post she added: "I only have love 4 Argentina", insisting she had never meant to offend the country.
What has been the fallout for the singer?
The row did not stay confined to social media. Some Argentine fans began pushing campaigns to sell or return tickets for the four concerts Rosalía is due to play in Buenos Aires at the beginning of August, while others called for leaving seats empty as a form of protest.
The most immediate consequence came, however, in Córdoba. A symphonic concert paying tribute to Rosalía, organised by an independent production company with no connection to the artist, was cancelled after receiving "numerous messages of hate and anger", according to the organisers.
Those behind the show stressed that the project had been in preparation for months and that their aim was purely artistic. In a statement released on social media they said they understood the upset after the final because "football is not just a sport, it is part of our identity, our history and our culture", but regretted that the tension had ultimately forced them to call off the event to protect the musicians involved.
For now, Rosalía's four official concerts in Buenos Aires are still scheduled as announced by the promoter.
What happened with Patti Smith?
The American singer and poet Patti Smith also found herself caught up in the controversy over a post she made after the final. In it she celebrated Spain's victory and described Spain as "the good guys", a phrase many Argentine users took to mean she was putting the rival team on the opposite side.
The criticism snowballed within hours and the artist ended up deleting the post. She later shared an image of Lionel Messi and posted a new message saying she had never intended to belittle Argentina or its national team.
Smith also recalled the bond she has had for years with the South American country, expressed her admiration for Messi and said she deeply regretted that her words had been taken as a sign of disrespect towards the Argentine people.
How did a football final end up triggering a cultural row?
Although Rosalía and Patti Smith's posts were different, both ended up part of a broader phenomenon that has shaped the conversation in the wake of the World Cup final. Argentina's defeat triggered an intense burst of activity on social media, where celebrations, taunts, nationalist messages and boycott campaigns against various public figures who openly backed Spain all collided.
In that climate, posts that at another time would probably have gone unnoticed took on a much greater political and emotional significance. The rapid spread of screenshots and videos meant the messages travelled far beyond the artists' usual followers.
Both Rosalía and Patti Smith chose to delete their posts and offer explanations, yet their apologies have not managed to draw a line under the debate; days after the final whistle, the artists' posts continue to attract both criticism and messages of support.
