© picture alliance / NurPhoto | MI News
After a stunning comeback against England, Argentina has fought its way to the World Cup final in the U.S. After the final whistle, the victory took on a political tone.
Argentina trailed England 1-0 in the semifinal in Atlanta, but goals by Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez in the 92nd minute sent the Albiceleste to their second consecutive World Cup final. On Sunday, they can defend their title if they beat Spain.
The Argentine players celebrated their victory with a controversial banner referencing the 1982 Falklands War between the two countries: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falkland Islands belong to Argentina”).
“We understand that this is a soccer match with broader implications; it brings back memories of what Diego (Maradona, with his “Hand of God” goal, which clearly involved a handball, ed.) did,” Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul told The Guardian ahead of the match. “We sing songs about our heroes of the Malvinas, mainly to commemorate them, but we have to realize that this is a soccer match and that the Malvinas should be discussed elsewhere. What happened was an atrocity, and we always honor the fallen, but what we want is to win this match to reach the final.”
It remains to be seen whether this banner will have any further repercussions. According to FIFA’s code of conduct, “banners, flags, flyers, clothing, and other items of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” are prohibited in stadiums.
In 1982, a dispute over a territory known as the Falkland Islands in Great Britain and the Islas Malvinas in Argentina led to a conflict between the two countries that lasted 74 days. More than 900 people—649 Argentines and 255 Britons—lost their lives in the conflict.
Picture: © picture alliance / NurPhoto | MI News