Argentina could face disciplinary action from FIFA after players displayed a banner referencing the Falkland Islands following their World Cup semi-final victory against England. The defending world champions secured a dramatic late comeback win in Atlanta, scoring two goals to defeat Thomas Tuchel’s side 2-1 and advance to the final against Spain.
After the match, Argentina players celebrated while holding a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” which translates to “The Falklands are Argentine.” This gesture is in reference to the ongoing sovereignty dispute between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory located in the south-west Atlantic Ocean.
The two nations engaged in a conflict over the islands, situated 300 miles off Argentina’s east coast, from April to June 1982. This 74-day conflict resulted in the deaths of 655 Argentine servicemen, 255 British servicemen, and three individuals from the islands.
Previous Incidents and Political Statements
This is not the first time the Argentine Football Association has faced repercussions for such actions. In 2014, FIFA fined the association £20,000 after its players displayed a similar banner before a friendly match against Slovenia. At that time, world football’s governing body stated that the gesture violated rules concerning political actions and team misconduct.
Following Argentina’s recent semi-final victory, Vice President Victoria Villarruel posted on X, sharing a video that appeared to show Argentine soldiers. She wrote, “it wasn’t just another match” and reiterated, “The Falklands are Argentine.” Villarruel added that despite bans on bringing such items into the stadium, the sentiment is deeply ingrained, stating, “They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.”
Ahead of the semi-final, Villarruel had made strong statements, referring to England as “usurping pirates” and declaring that the match was “about putting the invaders in their place.” She emphasized that she would not be “politically correct or keep a cool head,” asserting, “it’s always something more against the English.” She linked the match to the Malvinas, the late football legend Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi’s final run, concluding with the popular anthem, “Go Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will keep claiming what is ours!”
Villarruel’s father participated in the 1982 Falklands War, a conflict between Argentina’s military dictatorship and the United Kingdom. The 74-day war concluded with a British victory.
Manager’s Stance and Security Measures
Despite the political rhetoric from some officials, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni had previously stated his intention to keep football and politics separate. He remarked before the semi-final, “I’m not going to mix” the two, explaining, “The reality is that this is a football match. I can’t mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago.”
Scaloni described the 1982 conflict as “a very sad period in our history” and stressed that “it is a football match – we shouldn’t confuse the two.”
The semi-final match, where England conceded late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, was held under heightened security measures. These precautions were implemented due to the historical tensions between the two nations. Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva had confirmed that under the security plan for the semi-final in Atlanta, fans were prohibited from bringing flags or other items referencing the Falkland Islands into the stadium.
Argentina players had also reportedly sung chants referencing the Falklands, along with Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, after their 3-2 victory over Egypt in the last 16.
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Source: bbc.com
