Before the last-four tie, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni had said he was “not going to mix” football and politics.
“The reality is that this is a football match. I can’t mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago,” Scaloni had said.
“It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn’t much we can do about it, that’s the reality.
“Things are happening elsewhere in the world, and we criticise the existence of war. We certainly remember those people, of course. But it is a football match – we shouldn’t confuse the two.”
Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel, however, cited a chant which the players sang following their dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16 which referenced the Falklands and Argentina greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
“This is not just another match. I’m not going to be politically correct – against the English, it’s always something more,” wrote Villarruel in a post on X., external
“It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last one, and it’s about putting the invaders in their place.
“Long live Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will reclaim what is ours!”
The semi-final, which England lost to late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, was held under increased security measures because of the historical tensions between the two nations.
