Behind Argentina’s Shield: A Jewish Legacy Meets an Egyptian Coach’s World Cup Meltdown

When Egypt coach Hossam Hassan spit toward a fan waving an Israeli flag at him following Argentina’s shocking 3-2 come-from-behind triumph at Atlanta on Tuesday, he might as well have spit on the jerseys of the victorious Argentine players.Mr. Hassan, who famously waved a Palestinian flag after Egypt’s Round of 32 win over Australia last Friday in Dallas, apparently didn’t appreciate the presence of an Israeli flag, as he was leaving the pitch angry after his team blew a late 2-0 lead.An easier target for Mr. Hassan’s political spittle would have been the crest worn on the jerseys of the Argentina team. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the crest was designed 50 years ago by Norberto “Toto” Rud.A member of a Jewish sports club located in Buenos Aires, Club Nautico Hacoaj, Mr. Rud is credited with designing the distinguished crest in 1976 when he was in his late 20s. A long-time football fan, he observed that many European soccer teams wore distinctive emblems. But his favorite team, Argentina, wore jerseys featuring only their sky blue-and-white colors, allowing them to be confused with other clubs wearing similar jerseys.Mr. Rud, a businessman with designing skills, was determined to create a visual identity for the team. He created approximately 20 design proposals and submitted them to the Argentine Football Association. The iconic vertical shield, which made its debut in November 1976 with laurel branches symbolizing victory and glory, now includes three stars at the top representing the team’s three World Cup titles.Mr. Rud lived to see Argentina wear his crest to World Cup triumphs in 1978 and 1986, but died in 2010 at the age of 61. He is buried at Buenos Aires’ La Tablada, Latin America’s largest Jewish cemetery. But his legacy lives on as Argentina advances to the quarterfinal round where it will meet Switzerland on Saturday at Kansas City.Mr. Rud’s son Oliver told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that seeing the crest continually fills him with family pride. “As a son and member of the Jewish community and as an Argentinean, it’s a source of pride,” he said. “Every time I see Argentina’s national team crest, it still amazes me.”Lionel Messi leading an amazing come-from-behind victory is the headline of Argentina’s match with Egypt, but the political undercurrent was clear considering the unwavering support of Israel by Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, and Mr. Hassan’s waving the Palestinian flag after defeating Australia in a shootout last week.In the post-match interview, Mr. Hassan, who scored 69 goals during 21 years as a player for his nation, doubled-down by dedicating the win against Australia to both Egyptians and Palestinians, saying his “heart and soul” were with the Palestinian people.Egypt’s issue with Argentina’s football team was evident a decade ago when Mr. Messi offered to donate his shoes to a charity in Cairo. The offer was declined due to Egypt’s belief that Mr. Messi is aligned with Israel though the soccer legend grew up in Argentina as a Christian, according to reports.“He donated to Israel and visited the Wailing Wall and whatever,” an Egyptian Football Federation spokesman, Azmi Mogahed, said at the time. “We don’t need his shoes and Egypt’s poor don’t need help from someone with Jewish and Zionist citizenship.”Mr. Hassan was furious after losing Tuesday’s game, which he thought Egypt had won. He was also upset at the kickoff time of 12:00 p.m. ET. “Whoever schedules these matches is someone who has never played football,” he told reporters. “You never schedule a football match at 12:00 noon.”He said FIFA conspired to keep Mr. Messi and Argentina in the tournament. “Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition? Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running? In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions benefited from support at every level.”He criticized the referees. “I told the referees that what was happening wasn’t fair. It’s an undeserved victory for Argentina. Once I’m back in my country and at home, I’ll never watch the World Cup again, because there’s no justice in the competition.”Oliver Rud said he will be watching and thinking about his father throughout Argentina’s run at the World Cup. “Every time I see Argentina’s national team crest, it still amazes me,” he said. “In fact, my brother Guido and I were just talking about it the other day — how incredible it is to think that Toto designed the crest for the national team some 50 years ago. It’s really extraordinary. Every time I see the crest, I feel a little piece of him in my heart. It’s a beautiful way to remember him.”

Behind Argentina’s Shield: A Jewish Legacy Meets an Egyptian Coach’s World Cup Meltdown

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