A pre-World Cup 2018 warm-up fixture between 2-time world champions Argentina and Israel in Jerusalem was cancelled after protests erupted in Palestine over the move. According to the media, the two teams were set to face each other in a friendly match before the commencement of the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Jerusalem on June 9. The Argentine embassy in Israel and the Palestinian Football Federation (PFF) confirmed the news of cancellation of the fixture. Palestinian children had written a letter to the Argentine embassy in Israel requesting captain Lionel Messi to refuse to play against Israel in Jerusalem since their homes had been destroyed to build the football stadium. Palestinian chairman Jibril Rajoub had also appealed for the cancellation of the fixture during a protest outside the Argentine embbasy. He had warned that if Lionel Messi plays against Israel, his Palestinian fans and supporters will burn down his jersey to record their protests.