Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes described the Falklands War as “a sad part of our history” and said his side felt their World Cup semi-final against England “wasn’t just a football match” in light of historic and current tensions over the territory.
Build-up to the semi-final was dominated by tensions over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory 300 miles off the Argentinian coast which are known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina.
Buenos Aires has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the territory and Britain and Argentina fought a war over it in 1982 after Argentina’s far-right military dictatorship invaded, in which over 900 people were killed.
Argentina lost the war and the territory remains British, but it is still a flashpoint in relations between the two countries and is frequently referenced at football matches and in chants.
Paredes said after their 2-1 victory in Atlanta that the players had been spurred on by memories of the war, and defended them for holding a banner referencing the dispute.
“Sadly, it is a sad part of our history, for everyone involved in that chapter of our history. And it hurts. We knew we were playing for them too. For all the people, for our entire nation. I believe we did it in the best possible way.
“We always wanted to convey that for us, it wasn’t just a football match. We were aware that it wasn’t just that. It was very important for our entire country. And I think we feel immense joy.”
Some Argentina players sang a popular chant, “For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona] and for Leo [Messi]’s last one”, after they beat Switzerland to set up their semi-final against England.
And several Argentina players unfurled a banner reading “The Malvinas are Argentinian” as they celebrated victory over the Three Lions in Atlanta, which has sparked backlash.
Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez said the banner “really stirred up deep emotions”, adding: “I can picture a Malvinas veteran seeing that and weeping.
“I don’t know if there might be sanctions or not, but what they did was display that banner and assert that the islands belong to us.”
The UK’s business secretary Peter Kyle described the banner as “entirely inappropriate” and said the government expected Fifa to conduct an investigation into it; the team could be sanctioned for violating the governing body’s rules on political expression on the pitch.
Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul said before the game: “We understand it’s a football game that transcends; it brings back memories of what Diego [Maradona] did.
“We sing songs about our Malvinas heroes, mainly to remember them, but we have to understand that it’s a football match and that the Malvinas have to be discussed elsewhere. What happened was an atrocity and we always remember the fallen, but what we want is to win this match to get to the final.”
