Argentina Players, Fans Reignite Political Tensions After Beating England
· Yahoo Sports
ATLANTA — Players and coaches tried to downplay the emotional and political tensions ahead of the semifinal between England and Argentina.
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Players said it was just a football match, and the contentious rivalry of the late-20th century was before their time.
But the moment the final whistle blew, Mercedes Benz Stadium turned into an emotional and politically charged gathering.
Decades before Wednesday’s match, England and Argentina fought in the Falklands War, after Argentina invaded and unsuccessfully tried to take over the Falklands Islands in 1982. In England, arguably the bigger sore spot with Argentina is Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, but the two-month war looms large in Argentine memory. The islands, called “Las Malvinas” in Spanish, are frequent themes in soccer supporters’ songs, and signs littered throughout the country read “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas.”
Even Maradona called his handball goal “symbolic revenge” for the war.
After the win, as Argentine supporters sang and danced in the stands, the Argentina players laid down a banner on the pitch reading “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands Are Argentine”). Thousands of fans joined the players in jumping and singing “El que no salta, es un Inglés!” (“Whoever doesn’t jump is English!”).
FIFA had previously said it wouldn’t punish players for singing a popular supporters song that includes lyrics about the Falklands after the win over Egypt. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the post-match demonstration.
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