The Argentina national team marked their World Cup semi-final triumph against England by displaying a banner stating, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” referencing the 1982 conflict over the disputed territory.
Trailing 1-0 with just five minutes remaining in the match held in Atlanta, Argentina mounted a remarkable comeback, scoring twice to secure their spot in a consecutive World Cup final. They are set to face Spain in New Jersey on Sunday.
This banner highlights the ongoing territorial dispute, known in Britain as the Falkland Islands and in Argentina as Islas Malvinas, which resulted in a 74-day war that claimed the lives of over 900 individuals, including 649 Argentinians and 255 Britons.
Lisandro Martínez and Giovani Lo Celso proudly displayed the banner, smiling and waving to the enthusiastic supporters in the stands. The origin of the banner remains unclear. This incident is not the first instance of political messages appearing during the World Cup; last month, Iranian Americans displayed pre-revolutionary flags during a match involving Iran, which occurred without any incidents.
Following their quarter-final victory against Switzerland, some Argentina players were heard chanting.
“For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona] and for Leo [Messi]’s last one.”
Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul shared his thoughts, stating, “We understand it’s a football game that transcends; it brings back memories of what Diego did. We sing songs about our Malvinas heroes, mainly to remember them, but we have to understand that it’s a football match and that the Malvinas have to be discussed elsewhere. What happened was an atrocity and we always remember the fallen, but what we want is to win this match to get to the final.”
FIFA’s stadium regulations prohibit “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” within stadiums. FIFA has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding this occurrence.
On Tuesday, Argentina’s security minister, Alejandra Monteoliva, announced that enhanced security measures were discussed during a meeting in the US. “There will be 1,600 officers. We want the celebration to be peaceful,” she told local radio in Argentina. “The entry of elements that have any type of provocative message, whether of political or racial content, is prohibited.”
