menu_open Columnists
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

(VIDEO) Argentina's Falklands Banner Celebration After Beating England Could Trigger FIFA Sanctions

8 0
yesterday

ATLANTA — Argentina's dramatic comeback victory over England in Wednesday's World Cup semifinal produced a celebration that has drawn attention well beyond the scoreline, after players unfurled a banner referencing the disputed Falkland Islands, a move that could expose the team to sanctions from FIFA ahead of Sunday's championship match against Spain.

Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a match that saw Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez score in the final minutes to complete a comeback, both assisted by Lionel Messi. The result sends Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final, where it will face Spain in pursuit of its fourth championship and its first back-to-back title in more than six decades.

The postgame celebration, however, has become a story of its own. Fans in the stands at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium held a banner reading "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas," using the Spanish-language name Argentina uses for the islands. The phrase translates to "The Malvinas are Argentine," a reference to Argentina's longstanding territorial claim over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic. According to reporting from The Athletic, midfielder Giovani Lo Celso appeared to be the first player to take hold of the banner, unfurling it alongside defender Nicolás Otamendi. By the time the celebration moved toward the section of the stadium occupied by Argentine supporters, nearly the entire Argentina squad had gathered behind the banner as players........

© International Business Times