Argentina star Rodrigo de Paul mentioned the Falkland Islands when defending his team’s post-match celebrations. England face their arch-rivals in Atlanta on Wednesday in their first World Cup competition in 24 years, with the winner facing either Spain or France in Sunday’s final.
Forty-four years after the Falklands War, in which Argentina was defeated by British forces 74 days after invading overseas territory, the war remains one of the most politically charged conflicts in sports. Argentina continues to claim the territory belongs to the islands, despite a 2013 referendum that strongly favored the islands remaining part of the United Kingdom. After the team’s wins over Egypt and Switzerland, players were captured singing a song that referred to the islands’ terminology: the Malvinas Islands. Despite clearly violating FIFA rules on political expression inside stadiums, the Argentine federation escaped punishment.
De Paul, who also plays with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, said the team sang about the Falkland Islands to pay tribute to the 649 Argentine soldiers who died during the conflict, which he described as an “atrocity”.
He said: “All the songs we sing are meant to remind us of our heroes. But we need to understand that this is a football match and the Malvinas issue needs to be discussed elsewhere.”
He added: “What happened was an atrocity and we will always remember that. But what we want is to win the match to progress to the final.”
De Paul also mentioned the infamous 1986 quarter-final. In that match, Argentina defeated England 2-1 thanks to Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal. This was followed by a breathtaking solo attack that is widely considered one of the greatest goals of all time.
He said: “We are going to play a football match against England. This is very important and it brings back a lot of memories because of Diego’s actions and what happened at that time.”
Given the conflict between countries, there are concerns about confusion among supporters gathered in Georgia City. Additional police and personnel were already in place before the game, with increased patrols planned around Atlanta Stadium and “the entertainment district and other high-traffic areas.”
“These proactive measures are designed to protect the public, deter criminal activity, and ensure residents and visitors can safely enjoy this historic event,” Atlanta Police said in a statement.
In the build-up to the semi-finals, the officer overseeing the English Football Police has praised England supporters for setting a good example throughout the tournament.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts of Cheshire Police, head of England’s football police, declared that the behavior of England fans in Saturday’s quarter-final victory over Norway in Miami was once again “exemplary” and that there was “no animosity between the fans after the match”.
