Argentina’s vice-president brands England ‘usurping pirates’ hours before World Cup semi-final clash…and urges Messi’s team to ‘claim what’s ours’

England’s ‘high-stakes’ World Cup semi-final clash against Argentina this evening will result in a fierce sporting rivalry and the culmination of a decades-long political debate.

The importance of the match was hotly discussed; The BBC’s John Simpson even warned that the outcome would “go far beyond football” and would also affect the Falkland Islands fight.

‘If Argentina wins tomorrow night there will be a real fire behind the demand for the Falklands.

‘If England wins, that will put the matter to rest for now,’ wrote the famous world affairs editor.

‘Football is politics in Argentina,’ he added, suggesting President Javier Milei would jump to victory because he needed a purpose.

Meanwhile, Argentina’s vice president, Victoria Villarruel, upped the ante with a battle cry, calling on her country to ‘claim what is ours’ from ‘usurping pirates’.

FIFA classified the match as ‘highest risk’ following a meeting with the FBI due to rising tensions.

The two countries have traded blows over the Falkland Islands, a self-governing British overseas territory 300 miles from Argentina, since their place in the semi-finals was booked.

Fans in England will also be in full force and the match will be classed as ‘highest risk’.

Argentine players chanted about beating England ‘for the Malvinas’, using their local name for the archipelago.

Their Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pablo Quirno, claimed that people living on the islands were ‘artificially implanted’ and that the referendum on British sovereignty was illegitimate.

In a 2013 poll, Falklanders were asked whether they wanted the islands to remain under British rule, and 99.8 percent of respondents voted yes.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper tried to reduce tensions by rejecting the referendum attack.

“We are looking forward to football,” Ms Cooper told The Telegraph.

The origins of the hostility date back to the ten-week war of 1982, when Argentina’s invasion of the Falkland Islands by the British cost 907 lives.

Four years later, this situation spread to football, too, when Maradona scored the famous ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final match.

He used his fist to score the opening goal past England, allowing Argentina to win 2-1 and claim the World Cup trophy.

The BBC’s John Simpson suggests Argentina’s fanatical president Javier Milei (pictured) will jump on victory as a political goal

England stars Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane will need to continue their flying form to lead the Three Lions towards Argentina

Some Argentine fans started to gather in the center of Atlanta yesterday before the match and unfurled flags bearing pictures of the Falkland Islands.

There was a large police presence at the Atlanta Underground, with entrances and exits tightly controlled and search dogs searching people’s bags before being let in.

FIFA has banned Argentine flags, which include the Falkland Islands, from being displayed in stadiums.

One onlooker said: ‘This was absolute madness. There must have been at least 10,000 people there drinking, dancing and jumping up and down singing songs.

‘It was pretty lively and the place was packed and there were loads of flags with Diego Maradona’s face on them and some with pictures of the Falkland Islands as well.

‘The woman next to me asked if I was going to the match and when I told her yes and that I was English she said ‘I’d better not say that here, to be careful’.”

Quirno, who refuses to keep football separate from politics, wrote in an article last week: ‘Our claim will not be abandoned, given up or given up.

‘The Falkland Islands are history, territory, sea, memory and destiny.

‘These are words between generations. They are the voice of a nation that knows how to wait without giving up and demand without surrendering.’

Argentina’s vice-president, Mrs. Villarruel, intervened: ‘Tomorrow we will play against usurping pirates.

‘This isn’t just another match. I won’t be politically correct or cold-hearted; There are always more against the British.

‘This is Malvinas, this is Diego, this is Leo’s [Messi] the last one and curbs the invaders. Go to Argentina! Because we will protect what is ours until our last breath!’

But Lionel Scaloni, coach of the South American team, fought back against the political fuss.

He said: ‘No, no, no. It’s just a football match. Let’s not look for other things.

‘This is a football match against a great team with a great manager who I admire. But this is a football match. The end.”

As detailed by Daily Mail Sport, Wednesday’s semi-final was classified as the ‘highest risk’ match of the World Cup following a meeting of the FBI, officials and local police.

A comprehensive set of security measures will be implemented in Atlanta, including separate entrance gates for the two groups of fans, but there will be no separation within the stadium.

The FBI, FIFA and police met on Monday to outline the historical gulf between the two countries and concerns about potential problems between rival fans.

Although great efforts will be made to keep fans away from each other, it is acknowledged that there is little officials can do inside the stadium due to the lack of segregation at FIFA matches.

Special attention will be paid to venue areas where fans are expected to congregate.

Videos showing tensions between fans in Argentina and England began circulating online on Saturday.

In one of them, a Three Lions fan comes to blows with three men wearing Argentina jerseys in the stadium, while another clip shows a group of followers wearing Argentine shirts confronting England fans in a bar.

Argentina coach Scaloni appealed for calm despite his players repeatedly singing a song referencing the Falkland Islands during their progress in the tournament.