Fact Check: Did Algerian Fans Shout Hate Speech at Messi?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video circulating on Facebook [archive] claims that Algerian national team fans shouted hate speech at Argentine football star Lionel Messi. The account owner narrates that the Algerian fans called Messi an enemy of Allah.

The incident is claimed to have occurred just before the match between Algeria and Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

However, is it true that Algerian fans shouted hate speech at Messi?

FACT CHECK

Tempo's Fact Check team verified the above claim using reverse image search techniques, geolocation tracking, and comparison of information with credible sources. The results showed that the video is a recording of Algerian fans celebrating in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, while the audio is manipulated from political events in Tunisia in 2019.

Tempo tracked down the building elements captured in the video. The clip shows a green-roofed building with a sign for ABN-AMRO—one of the largest banks in the Netherlands—as well as H&M and Zara retail outlets. A Google Street View search confirmed the location was on Coolsingel Street, near the entrance to the World Trade Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

A digital investigation revealed that the Algerian fan gathering in the Netherlands occurred long before the match against Argentina. Similar videos from different angles were previously uploaded by the Africa News Facebook account on June 4, 2026, and the LaLien YouTube channel on June 3, 2026.

Reuters news agency reported that the Algerian national team played a friendly against the Netherlands at De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam on June 3, 2026. The match, which ended 1-0 in Algeria's favor, was a warm-up for the 2026 World Cup.

In that tournament, the Netherlands played Japan in Dallas on June 14, 2026 (Group F). Algeria faced defending champion Argentina in their Group J opener in Kansas City on June 16, 2026. That match ended in a 0-3 defeat for Algeria, with goals scored by Messi.

Audio Source Manipulation

The audio in the circulating content is not the original sound of the events in Rotterdam. The audio recording is a popular template on TikTok that is frequently reused in various videos of Algerian supporters.

The chant, which includes a fragment of the shahada (Islamic declaration of faith), actually originated from Tunisian celebrations of Kais Saied's victory in the 2019 presidential election. The original video documentation can be viewed on the Aljazeera Mubasher YouTube channel.

Throughout the 2026 World Cup tournament, Algerian supporters echoed their signature chant. A report by The Athletic stated that Algerian supporters consistently chanted "1, 2, 3, viva l'Algerie," which translates to "1, 2, 3, long live Algeria." This slogan has its roots in the North African country's struggle for independence from France before finally gaining independence in 1962.

CONCLUSION

Tempo concludes that the narrative that Algerian supporters are using hate speech against Messi is false.

TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM

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