Ahead of World Cup Semi-Final, Argentine VP Calls English 'Pirates'
Authorities expect about 50,000 fans and have banned Falklands messages as Argentina’s vice-president links the match to sovereignty claims.
- Argentina Vice-President Victoria Villarruel framed the July 15 World Cup semi-final against England as a Falklands proxy on social media, labeling the English 'usurping pirates.' Her post defied calls from Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni and veterans to keep sport separate from the 1982 conflict.
- Argentina's claim to the South Atlantic islands dates to 1833, though the 1982 ten-week war remains the primary point of tension. The conflict ended with Argentine surrender, resulting in 649 Argentine and 255 British fatalities, and sovereignty negotiations have not resumed since.
- Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva prohibited fans from carrying banners or clothing referencing the Falklands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Authorities designated the match as the tournament's highest-risk fixture, with roughly 30,000 Argentine and 20,000 England supporters expected.
- Rejecting the politicization, Scaloni urged supporters to separate the match from the 1982 conflict, stating, 'It's a football match; I can't mix things up.' Argentine veterans also rejected framing the game as a symbolic rematch, arguing sport should not be conflated with the 649 fatalities.
- This high-stakes match adds a footballing postscript to a rivalry marked by Antonio Ratt's 1966 dismissal and Diego Maradona's 1986 goal. These events cemented an animosity that persists despite efforts to separate the game from politics.
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72 Articles
Argentina's VP mocks England with video of Falklands invasion after World Cup semi-final
Argentina's VP mocks England with video of Falklands invasion after World Cup semi-final . Argentina's Vice President shared footage of soldiers invading the Falkland Islands and claimed the archipelago was Argentine after the World Cup semi-final
Hours before the World Cup semi-final of 2026 between Argentina and England, Argentine vice-president Victoria Villarruel called the English "swimming pirates" and associated the confrontation with the dispute over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands. In a publication in the X, she stated that the departure of this Wednesday (15) "is not any game" and referred to the war fought between the two countries in 1982. See also: Argentine fans of r…
The vice president of Argentina, Victoria Villarruel, has called the English "surprising pirates" hours before contesting the semifinal of the World Cup 2026, which this Wednesday confronts the Albiceleste with the selection of England. "I will not be politically correct or cold breast, against the English is always something else. It is the Falklands, it is the Diego, it is the last of Leo and it is to stop the cart to the invaders », has affir…
The vice president of Argentina, Victoria Villarruel, called the English "surprising pirates" prior to the match for World Cup 2026 semifinals that this Wednesday will face the "Albiceleste" with the selection of England. "I will not be politically correct or cold breast, against the English is always something else. It is Malvinas, it is Diego, it is Leo's last and it is to stop the car to the invaders", said in a message on social network X th…
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