World Cup 2026: Argentina face fine for displaying Falklands banner after beating England
Ahead of the last four matches, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he would “not mix” football and politics.
Scaloni said: “The truth is that this is a football match. I cannot interfere, especially out of respect for what happened many years ago.”
“It was a very sad time in our history and there’s not much we can do about it, that’s the truth.
“Events are happening in other parts of the world and we criticize the existence of war. Of course we remember those people. But this is a football match, we should not confuse the two.”
But Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel referred to a chant referencing the Falklands and Argentina greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi after the players’ dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16.
“This is no ordinary match. I won’t be politically correct; there is always more against the English,” Villarruel wrote. In a post on X., external
“This is the Malvinas, this is Diego, this is Leo’s last, and it’s about putting the invaders in their place.
“Long live Argentina! Because we will take back what is ours until our last breath!”
The semi-final, which England lost with the last goals of Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, was played under increased security measures due to the historical tension between the two countries.
