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FIFA investigates Argentina players after controversial Falklands banner celebration
The Argentine Football Association were also fined 20,000 pounds by FIFA in 2014 for holding a similar banner before a friendly against Slovenia.
FIFA has decided to open an investigation into Argentina players' display of a political banner after their World Cup semi-final win over England. Lisandro Martinez and unused substitute Giovani Lo Celso held up a banner that read "Las Malvinas son Argentinas". It means "The Falklands are Argentinian" while celebrating the victory on the pitch. The pair waved the banner to fans in the stands.
The Argentine Football Association were also fined 20,000 pounds by FIFA in 2014 for holding a similar banner before a friendly against Slovenia.
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'FIFA's independent disciplinary committee is currently assessing the match'
In a statement, a FIFA spokesperson said, "As is standard procedure, FIFA's independent disciplinary committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the FIFA disciplinary code."
Meanwhile, the British government has urged FIFA to investigate the incident. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are."
"Self-determination rests with the islanders and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver."
Argentine President Javier Milei backed the players' celebration with the banner. "What the players do is understandable; they get carried away by their emotions, they act on impulse, and that will likely lead to discussions about a fine," he said.
Vice president Victoria Villarruel posted a photo of the moment on social media and wrote, "The Malvinas are Argentine! They banned us from bringing [signs] into the stadium, forgetting that we carry them in our blood and in our hearts."
The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory with a population of around 3,500 people, located around 8,000 miles from the UK and 300 miles from Argentina. Argentina claims that the islands were illegally taken from it in 1833. Meanwhile, Britain asserts its territorial claim goes back to 1765, when it sent a warship to the islands in 1833 to expel Argentine forces who tried to establish sovereignty over the South Atlantic archipelago.
The war in 1982 killed 649 Argentine troops, 255 British service personnel and three islanders.
The conflict ended during the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where Argentina, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland all played. British television network didn't broadcast the tournament's opening game as Argentina faced Belgium.
