Argentina’s players celebrated their stunning semi-final win over England with a banner reading ‘The Falklands are Argentine’. It reopened a decades-old political wound right in the middle of football’s biggest stage. What is the controversy all about?
Argentina seems to have become controversy’s favourite child at the FIFA World Cup. Just when one thought the Argentina vs England semi-final couldn’t get any spicier after a close 2-1 contest that eventually broke English hearts, the rivalry spilt beyond the touchline. Adding a fresh layer of controversy, Messi and Co held a banner that read ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ – which translates to ‘The Falklands are Argentine’. It reignited a decades-old political wound right in the middle of football’s biggest stage.
The incident overshadowed Argentina’s dramatic late comeback in Atlanta – coming from 1-0 down to win 2-1 in a space of just five minutes – putting them at risk of being banned by FIFA. As the final whistle went off, the Argentinian players were seen celebrating with the banner before leaving it on the field, drawing attention to the longstanding dispute over the Falkland Islands and the 1982 war.
In fact, the Argentina vs England fixture was never supposed to be a friendly kickabout. It has never been. Memories of Argentinian icon Maradona eliminating England from the 1986 World Cup, the ‘Hand of God’ goal, are still fresh. In fact, the mood had been building right after Argentina’s quarter-final win.
Last week, a video went viral showing some Argentinian players chanting about the ‘Malvinas’. Argentinian vice-president Victoria Villarruel also inflamed tensions in the build-up to the semi-final by calling England “usurping pirates”.
After the team’s victory, Villarruel posted on X, “It wasn’t another match. The Falklands are Argentine. They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.”
But why did Argentina celebrate their win with the banner? Why is it controversial?
WHY ARGENTINA CELEBRATED WITH FALKLANDS BANNER?
‘Las Malvinas’, which was printed on the banner, is the term used in Argentina for the Falkland Islands. A British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean, the group of islands was at the centre of a bloody war between Argentina and Britain in 1982.
It is key to understand the geography here as well. Known for its stunning landscapes and wildlife, especially the massive penguin colonies, the archipelago is about 8,000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from Argentina.
Now, Britain initially claimed the Falklands in 1774. It again reasserted its rule in 1832. However, Argentina has always claimed sovereignty over the islands.
Matters came to a head in 1982, when Britain and Argentina fought a brutal 74-day war over the territory. Argentina was then under a military junta, being led by General Leopoldo Galtieri.
The Latin American country was then facing growing public unrest due to economic hardships. Historians believe Argentina’s junta entered into the conflict believing that reclaiming the island would help it rally public support.
However, the Argentinian military was no match for the British, which was then under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The British first took out the runway at the airfield at the Falklands’ capital, preventing Argentinian Mirage III jets from landing. In the sea too, Britain dealt a severe blow after sinking the light cruiser General Belgrano. It killed 323 mariners. Argentina, however, avenged it by taking out a number of vessels. The most notable was the sinking of HMS Sheffield – Britain’s first naval loss since World War II.
However, Argentina eventually surrendered after losing around 650 troops. The death toll for the British stood at 255. Three civilians also died.
The territory also held a referendum in 2013, where its citizens voted to remain a British overseas territory.
Currently, Britain maintains a military presence in the islands. Argentina continues to pursue it through diplomatic channels and the United Nations.
WILL FIFA TAKE ACTION AGAINST ARGENTINA?
The wound never healed for Argentina. It resurfaces almost every time Argentina and England meet on the football pitch. The fact about old wounds is that they have a habit of resurfacing right when the stakes are highest. It showed in the aftermath of the intense semi-final match.
A similar incident happened in 2014 when Argentinian players held a similar banner before a match against Slovenia. FIFA had then slapped Argentina with a £20,000 fine.
The football governing body has strict rules on political messaging. Its code of conduct bans any sort of banners and flags that are political or offensive in nature inside stadiums. Even players are barred from revealing undergarments that show political and religious statements or images.
FIFA, however, has not reacted yet to the incident. Usually, the body analyses various match reports before taking any decision. After receiving the reports, FIFA makes an assessment and then decides on the next steps.
It will be interesting to see whether Argentina face a fine, a warning, or nothing at all before the mega final against Spain.
