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Casablanca – Argentina’s president Javier Milei has distanced football from the long-running dispute over the Falkland Islands after the national team’s World Cup celebrations reignited political controversy.
Following their FIFA World Cup semifinal victory over England, Argentina’s players displayed a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falkland Islands are Argentinian).
Milei insisted the territorial dispute should be resolved through diplomacy rather than football.
“Football and the Falklands dispute should not be mixed. The Falkland Islands will be recovered through wise diplomacy, not through cheap nationalist slogans,” Milei said.
The banner appeared during Argentina’s on-pitch celebrations after the dramatic victory over England before being left on the pitch, drawing widespread attention because of the historical tensions surrounding the islands.
The incident came despite Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni urging before the match that the semifinal should remain focused on football rather than politics.
Read also: Scaloni Dismisses Falklands War Comparison Ahead Of Argentina vs England
The Falkland Islands remain one of the most sensitive issues in relations between Argentina and the United Kingdom.
Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the South Atlantic archipelago. Yet Britain has administered the territory since 1833 following the 1982 Falklands War, a 74-day conflict that claimed the lives of 655 Argentine servicemen, 255 British servicemen, and three islanders.
Asked about the controversy, Milei argued that Argentina has recently made diplomatic progress on the issue and warned against allowing a football match to overshadow broader efforts.
“We have made significant progress on the diplomatic front, and we have managed to bring the United Nations to the table with Britain for dialogue. But we shouldn’t exaggerate this matter. At the end of the day, it was just a football match,” he said.
The banner has also revived questions over FIFA regulations governing political displays during international tournaments.
Under the Laws of the Game established by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), players are prohibited from displaying political, religious, or personal messages on equipment or clothing during official matches. In the event of a breach, disciplinary action is left to competition organizers or FIFA.
FIFA has yet to publicly comment on Argentina’s display. However, the governing body previously fined the Argentine Football Association in 2014 after players displayed a banner carrying the same “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” message before an international friendly against Slovenia.
Argentina, meanwhile, will now turn its attention to Sunday’s World Cup final, while debate over the banner continues off pitch.
