There is also a lot of nationalism at play at major tournaments – right-wing politics repeatedly abuse the game of national teams, including at the 2026 World Cup.
“Build the wall!” (“Build the wall!”) – this slogan was influential in the election campaign before Donald Trump’s first term in office. The slogan became a rallying cry that Trump’s supporters shouted again and again. He stands for nationalism, isolation and anti-migrant policies.
“The Wall Built” – Post from the US Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security now used the slogan in the past tense (“the wall built”) and in a photo placed a wall, like those on parts of the border with Mexico, between the US team and a soccer goal.
Previously there was a photo with US players and the lettering “defend the homeland”plus the comment “our soil”. Trump has already used the tournament several times to threaten political opponents, and now one of his ministries is discovering the US team.
Right-wing candidate in Colombia appropriates jersey
On Monday night in Europe The runoff vote in the presidential election took place in Colombia. The national team’s jersey dominated the election campaign. The ultra-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella often wore the shirt of the “Cafeteros”, who won against Uzbekistan three days before the runoff election.
The right-wing Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella in the national team jersey
He published AI videos on social media in which he scored goals against political opponents in the yellow national jersey.
Colombia’s football association called for the national team to be kept out of political debates. The jersey is a symbol of unity, not polarization. But the jersey became de la Espriella’s trademark, nicknamed “El Tigre”. Many of his supporters wore the jersey at the politician’s rallies, some with a tiger printed on it. Opponent Ivan Cepeda accused de la Espriella of taking the jersey for himself.
“El Tigre” is de la Espriella’s nickname
Bolsonaro calls yellow jersey in Brazil “Bolsonaro shirt”
Brazil has already had this discussion, but it is returning. The supporters of right-wing extremist former President Jair Bolsonaro appropriated the famous yellow jersey there long before something similar happened in Colombia. When numerous Bolsonaro supporters stormed the Congress building, the Supreme Court and the presidential palace in Brasilia in early 2023, many of them wore the yellow jersey.
Bolsonaro supporters at the Esplanada dos Ministerios in Brasilia
As in the USA in 2022, there was also a massive attack on democratic institutions and a storm on parliament in Brazil. The yellow jersey became a symbol of the attempted coup and the division in society. Opponents of Bolsonaro’s policies often wore the blue away jersey in protest so as not to be associated with the right-wing extremist. Brazil’s football association CBF said at the time: “The association strongly opposes our jersey being worn during anti-democratic acts and vandalism.”
Flavio Bolsonaro in the yellow jersey
The current president is Lula da Silva. He also tries to show himself with the jersey and give its meaning a different meaning. He faces re-election in October; Jair Bolsonaro’s son Flavio is his toughest opponent. He calls the jersey “Bolsonaro’s shirt” and wrote on Instagram: “Lula only wears green and yellow during elections and the World Cup. We have been wearing this jersey our whole lives.” During the World Cup he often appeared in the yellow jersey – there is evidence of a similar approach to the jersey as his father did.
