Nico Bolzico on hate over Argentina support: ‘Banter is part of football, hate is not’

Entrepreneur and social media personality Nico Bolzico has spoken about the criticism he faced online after supporting for his home country Argentina during the FIFA World Cup Final, saying that football should never become a reason for people to spread hate.

Following Argentina's defeat to Spain in the championship match, Bolzico took to Instagram to share a message about sportsmanship while addressing both the loss and the hate he received online.

“Sadly, for the first time, we've experienced genuine hate on social media simply because of the team we support, mostly from people who don't understand what sports truly represent or the values we believe in.”

 “Banter is part of football. Hate is not,” Nico wrote.

Bolzico acknowledged that criticism is part of sports discussions, but stressed that it should never be used to justify hatred toward anyone.

Despite Argentina's loss, Bolzico said he was grateful for the memories the tournament gave him and his family, saying it brought them "so much happiness" and taught them "countless life lessons."

He shared that watching the final was especially meaningful because he experienced it with his 83-year-old father and the rest of his family. It was also the first World Cup that his daughter, Tili, fully understood, giving him the chance to share football traditions with her just as his father once did with him.

For Bolzico, football has always been a big part of his life, and he reminded fans that the sport is meant to bring people together rather than divide them.

He ended his message by congratulating Spain and thanking Argentina captain Lionel Messi.

Meanwhile, Bolzico also marked the birthday of his wife, actress Solenn Heussaff, by sharing a photo of her along with a sweet message. He jokingly told her to stop "aging backwards" so they could grow old together, adding that she is his wife, best friend, and "boss."

“Happy birthday to the one who keeps us all together! Te amo!”