Argentina Faces Possible FIFA Fine for Falklands Celebration After Semi-Final Victory
Argentina may face a FIFA fine following their players’ celebration of a World Cup semi-final win against England, during which they displayed a banner advocating for their country’s claims to the Falkland Islands.
The defending world champions completed a thrilling comeback in Atlanta, scoring twice to defeat Thomas Tuchel’s side 2-1 and securing a place in the final against Spain this Sunday.
After the final whistle, players were seen rejoicing while holding a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” which translates to “The Falklands are Argentine.”
The UK and Argentina engaged in a conflict over the Falklands, an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean that has been a British Overseas Territory since 1833, from April to June 1982.
Argentina asserts that the islands, located 300 miles off its eastern coast, should be under its sovereignty.
The 74-day conflict resulted in the deaths of 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen, along with three civilian casualties from the islands.
In 2014, FIFA fined the Argentine Football Association £20,000 after players held up a banner with the same message during a friendly against Slovenia, which FIFA deemed a breach of rules regarding political actions and team misconduct.
Before the semi-final match, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni stated he would “not mix” football with politics. “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 explained. “It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn’t much we can do about it, that’s the reality.”
Scaloni continued, “Things are happening elsewhere in the world, and we criticise the existence of war. We certainly remember those people, of course. But it is a football match – we shouldn’t confuse the two.”
In contrast, Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel referred to a chant sung by players following their dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16, which referenced the Falklands as well as Argentine football legends Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Villarruel commented, “This is not just another match. I’m not going to be politically correct – against the English, it’s always something more,” in a post on X.
She added, “It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last one, and it’s about putting the invaders in their place. Long live Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will reclaim what is ours!”
The semi-final, in which Argentina defeated England with late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, took place under increased security measures due to the historical tensions between the two nations.