Argentina defends Falklands chants as England rivals escape punishment | Football | Sport
Argentina star Rodrigo De Paul brought up the Falklands as he defended his team’s post-match celebrations. England meet their bitter rivals in Atlanta on Wednesday in their first World Cup meeting in 24 years, with the victors facing Spain or France in Sunday’s final.
Forty-four years on from the Falklands War – when Argentina was defeated by British forces in 74 days after invading the overseas territory – it remains one of sport’s most politically charged rivalries. Despite the 2013 referendum, which saw the islands emphatically opt to remain part of the UK, Argentina continues to insist the territory belongs to them. After their team’s victories over Egypt and Switzerland, the players were captured singing songs that reference ‘the Malvinas,’ their terms for the islands. Despite apparently breaching FIFA rules on political expression within stadiums, the Argentine federation escaped punishment.
De Paul, who also plays with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, says the squad sang about the Falklands to pay tribute to Argentina’s 649 military personnel who died during the conflict, which he described as an “atrocity.”
He said: “All the songs we sing are very much about our heroes, to remember them. But we have to understand that this is a football match and that the Malvinas issue needs to be discussed elsewhere.”
He added: “What happened was an atrocity, and we always remember it. But what we want is to win the match to reach the final.”
De Paul also referenced the notorious 1986 quarter-final, in which Argentina defeated England 2-1 courtesy of Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal, followed by a breathtaking solo strike widely considered one of the finest goals ever scored.
He said: “We are playing a football match against England. It’s hugely significant and brings back a lot of memories because of what Diego did, and because of what happened back then.”
Given the rivalry between the nations, there are fears of disorder between supporters who will converge on the Georgia city. Extra police officers and resources had already been deployed ahead of the game, with heightened patrols scheduled around Atlanta Stadium and “entertainment districts and other high-traffic areas.”
The Atlanta Police Department said: “These proactive measures are designed to protect the public, deter criminal activity and ensure residents and visitors can safely enjoy this historic event.”
In the build-up to the semi-final, the officer overseeing football policing in the UK praised England supporters for setting a fine example throughout the tournament.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts of Cheshire Police, the UK’s football policing lead, declared that the behaviour of England fans at Saturday’s quarter-final triumph over Norway in Miami had once again been “exemplary,” with “no animosity between fans at the end of the match.”
