By Ghazali Ibrahim
Argentina’s players celebrated their dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final by displaying a banner reading “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” meaning “The Malvinas are Argentine”, reigniting attention on the South American country’s long-standing sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands.
The players unfurled the banner on the pitch shortly after the final whistle on Wednesday, moments after sealing a place in the World Cup final with a late comeback against England.
Images of the celebration quickly spread across social media, drawing mixed reactions from football fans and political observers.
The slogan is a powerful national symbol in Argentina, where the Falkland Islands known locally as the Islas Malvinas are regarded as Argentine territory despite being administered by the United Kingdom since 1833. The sovereignty dispute remains one of the country’s most enduring foreign policy issues.
The message carried added message because it came after a victory over England, with football encounters between the two nations often shaped by memories of the 1982 Falklands War.
The conflict, which lasted 74 days after Argentina invaded the islands, claimed the lives of 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British service members and three islanders before British forces regained control of the territory.
The Falklands issue has long transcended politics in Argentina and is deeply embedded in the country’s national identity.
The phrase “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” appears on government documents, school materials and public monuments, reflecting successive governments’ position that the islands should be returned through diplomatic negotiations.
Britain, however, maintains sovereignty over the territory and says the wishes of the islandersvwho overwhelmingly voted to remain a British Overseas Territory in a 2013 referendum must be respected.
The celebration also evoked memories of the fierce football rivalry between Argentina and England, most notably the 1986 World Cup quarter-final when Diego Maradona scored the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the celebrated “Goal of the Century” in a 2-1 Argentine victory, a match that became symbolic for many Argentines in the years following the Falklands War.
Argentina’s latest victory secured a place in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.
