If England beat Norway, they could face arch-rivals Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals, and it appears some of the South American team’s stars have already begun their rivalry.
Argentina national team player was seen singing about the Falklands (Image: AFASeleccionEN/X)
Argentina’s stars, including Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandes, were caught singing about the Falkland Islands at the World Cup. The South American nation advanced to the quarter-finals with an impressive 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Egypt on Tuesday.
They are now just one win away from potentially facing England in the semi-finals. The Three Lions must first get past Norway on Saturday, while Argentina face Switzerland.
Despite this, some players already seem to be fueling intense rivalries. Footage of the celebrations after Egypt’s victory showed many players singing a song of revenge for the 1994 World Cup, when Diego Maradona was suspended for failing a drug test.
There was also a reference to the Malvinas Islands, which means Falkland Islands in Argentine. Of course, there have been tensions between the two countries over the island since a violent conflict in 1982.
This situation continues despite a 2013 referendum in which 99.8% of residents wanted the country to remain under British rule. However, in April it was suggested that US President Donald Trump might review their positions, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer hit back.
He said: “The UK’s position on the Falkland Islands could not be more clear. It has been for many years and has not changed.”
“Sovereignty remains with the United Kingdom and the right of the islands to self-determination is paramount. This has been, and will continue to be, our consistent position.”
When it comes to soccer, England and Argentina have had several explosive clashes. David Beckham was infamously sent off against South America at the 1998 World Cup, and the Three Lions ultimately lost on penalties despite Michael Owen’s incredible goal.
Argentina players celebrate the victory against Egypt in the locker room (Image: AFASeleccionEN/X)
Four years later, they met again and Beckham got his revenge by converting a penalty to defeat Argentina in the group stage. The two sides have not faced each other since the memorable 2005 friendly, which England won 3-2.
“I’ve said it many times and I’ll say it again: this is a competitive group, a group that always gives its best, never gives up, never lets up,” Argentina’s Lionel Messi said after the win over Egypt.
“That’s why we accomplished everything we accomplished. Today it was a display of character, pride, love and hard work. I’m so happy and proud of this group. They show every day that they never stop trying.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
