The fallout is still being felt as a result of Argentina’s banner display at the World Cup (Image: Getty)
World Cup finalists Argentina have endured a chaotic few days since beating England to a spot in the biggest football fixture of the year. Lionel Messi helped inspire a comeback to crush English spirits in Atlanta on Wednesday but it was the events that unfurled after the final whistle that have added a new element of controversy to proceedings.
Argentina’s players naturally celebrated their win at Atlanta Stadium with vigour given the nature of their victory, scoring two goals in the final 10 minutes to reverse the scoreline and snag a 2-1 win. However, it was the display of a banner from the players that translated to read ‘The Falklands are Argentine’ that has left many fans of the losing side incensed. So much so that Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, led a charge from the British establishment calling for Argentina’s players to be suspended for Sunday’s final. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also supported the idea of FIFA investigating the incident after political tensions were stoked, with the suggestion even mooted that the South Americans should lose their place in the final in a move that would see England reinstated.
President Milei gladly accepts fine
Controversial Argentina President Javier Milei is seemingly happy to accept whatever is coming his nation’s way as a result of the banner incident. It’s all but unthinkable the team would be removed from the final outright but there remains the potential for a hefty fine and/or player suspensions for those who more energetically supported the display.
The Falkland Islands are a hugely contentious territory, governed by Great Britain, which was at the centre of a 10-week war between the British and Argentina in 1982. Rather than shy away from or de-escalate the situation, however, Argentina’s president doubled down in his response and said the country’s players acted logically.
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“The Malvinas (Falklands in Spanish) are Argentine. What the players did is understandable; emotion got the better of them,” said Milei in a statement. “They did it, and that will probably lead to a discussion of an economic sanction. It is perfectly valid and legitimate for the players to want to express themselves and do so.
“The things that happen on the field with the players are not part of diplomacy. In the worst-case scenario, Argentina will face a £20,000 economic sanction from FIFA. We are going to recover the Malvinas, and we will do so through diplomatic means, with intelligence in our actions.”
Milei’s comments suggest he knows something about potential disciplinary action from FIFA that the rest of us do not. As for his comments about reclaiming the Falklands, that goes a lot further than just football.
Javier Milei has defended the actions of his players and said Argentina will accept a fine (Image: Getty)
Falkland Islands criticise banner incident
Amid the furore from British and Argentinian sides of the aisle, it’s important to note the Falkland Islands are their own party in this matter. As such, those occupying the territory will have their own opinions in response to what occurred at Atlanta Stadium.
FIFA released a statement commenting on the incident, which read: “As is standard procedure, FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the FIFA disciplinary code.”
The situation is complicated further by the tight turnaround between Wednesday’s semi-final and Sunday’s closing match. International opinion on the controversy is divided, with many English clearly taking umbrage with a political statement being made in front of a global audience. And there are those on the Falkland Islands themselves who feel it wasn’t an appropriate gesture.
“Videos were also leaked following their Argentina vs Egypt fixture in which the Argentinian squad sang chants about the Falkland Islands in their locker rooms,” said Jack Ford, a member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly for Camp since 2023. “We are disappointed, though regrettably not surprised, by this manner of action, as this is not the first such incident…
“The Falkland Islands are a diverse, self-governing, self-funding British Overseas Territory, and engage internationally in sport, science and humanitarian work as such. In the 2013 referendum on our political status, 99.8 per cent of Falkland Islanders voted to remain a British Overseas Territory, on a turnout of approximately 92 per cent, in a vote independently monitored by international observers.”
Lionel Scaloni’s prep for the World Cup final was anything but smooth (Image: Getty)
World Cup final prep threatened
In addition to being at the centre of a media frenzy, Argentina’s lead-up to Sunday’s final in New Jersey also hasn’t been helped from a logistical standpoint. La Albiceleste already had one day fewer to prepare for the fixture than Spain, who beat France 24 hours earlier in Arlington.
The Sun reported Argentina were left stranded in Atlanta after severe weather caused their flight to be grounded. If the trip was delayed until Friday, it would have given the team a little more than 48 hours to prepare in New Jersey before they were due to face Spain.
However, local outlets in New Jersey later reported Lionel Scaloni and his men did indeed arrive at their hotel at around 11pm ET on Thursday evening.
It gives the team all of Friday and Saturday to get themselves match-ready in pursuit of a second straight World Cup crown. Italy and Brazil are the only countries to have managed that feat to date, with the Selecao the most recent to do so in 1962.