Argentina face FIFA punishment over Falklands banner after England World Cup win

Argentina’s Giovani Lo Celso held up a banner which read ‘The Malvinas are Argentine’, referring to the Falkland Islands, after the 2-1 win over England (AP Photo)

Argentina face punishment from

FIFA

after celebrating with a banner referencing the Falkland Islands following the 2-1 win over

England

in the

World Cup

semi-final.

In an ill-tempered game in Atlanta, England took the lead in the 55th minute through

Anthony Gordon

. However, a late second-half collapse saw

Enzo Fernandez

equalise before Lautaro Martinez struck to seal Argentina’s 2-1 win in the second minute of injury time.

Argentina will now play Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, while England will play France in the third-placed play-off, which kicks off at 10pm BST on Saturday.

Throughout this World Cup, Argentina’s players and supporters have sung songs which include a reference to the Falkland Islands.

And after their victory over England, Argentina’s players held up a banner which read, ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’, which translates as, ‘The Falklands are Argentine’.

The banner refers to the 74-day war in 1982 when Argentina and the UK fought over the Falkland Islands, which cost the lives of 255 British servicemen and 649 Argentinian personnel.

Argentina now face punishment from FIFA for the banner (AFP via Getty)

Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul said before the win over England: ‘We understand it’s a football game that transcends, it brings back memories of what Diego did. We sing songs about our Malvinas heroes, mainly to remember them, but we have to understand that it’s a football match and that the Malvinas have to be discussed elsewhere.

‘What happened was an atrocity and we always remember the fallen, but what we want is to win this match to get to the final.’

Argentina’s security minister, Alejandra Monteoliva, said this week that enhanced security had been discussed ahead of the game against England

‘There will be 1,600 officers. We want the celebration to be peaceful,’ she said.

‘The entry of elements that have any type of provocative message, whether of political or racial content, is prohibited.’

Argentina were fined just under £20,000 for displaying the same banner in 2014 (AFP/Getty)

FIFA rules prohibit political statements made at matches it organises.

In 2014, Argentina’s Football Association (AFA) was fined £19,540 after their players displayed a similar banner before a 2-0 friendly win against Slovenia in La Plata.

A FIFA statement at the time confirmed the AFA had been fined 30,000 Swiss francs (£19,540) and has been reprimanded after it was deemed to be in breach of Article 60 of the FIFA stadium safety and security regulations (‘political action’) and Article 52 of the FIFA disciplinary code (‘team misconduct’).

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