Speaking after the match, Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes said the Falklands War was a “sad part of our history”, adding the game “wasn’t just a football match” for his nation.
Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel posted on X after Wednesday’s victory, external that “it wasn’t just another match” alongside a video of what appeared to be Argentine soldiers.
“The Falklands are Argentine,” Villarruel posted. “They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.”
In the build-up to the game, Villarruel had said the semi-final was “about putting the invaders in their place”.
MP Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said Argentina’s banner was “entirely inappropriate”, adding that he expects Fifa to do a thorough investigation into the matter.
“I think [an investigation] is certain to happen because it was such an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of the football,” Kyle told BBC Breakfast.
The UK Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman echoed Kyle’s view but said any potential action was “a matter for Fifa”.
She added: “The PM wishes both teams well for the final, especially Spain.”
Argentina players also sang chants which referenced the Falklands and Argentina greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi following their dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16.
However, before the semi-final, 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.”
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.
