Two Argentinian football stars have sparked a political controversy at the World Cup after celebrating their semifinal victory over England with a banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
Following their 2-1 win, Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso held up a banner in front of fans that read "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentinian"). The move appears to violate FIFA’s Stadium Code of Conduct, which strictly bans banners, flags, or clothing of a political, offensive, or discriminatory nature.
Sovereignty over the South Atlantic territory—referred to as the Falklands by the UK and the Malvinas by Argentina—remains a highly sensitive diplomatic issue. The two countries fought a short war over the islands in 1982, which claimed the lives of 649 Argentinian and 255 British soldiers. While the conflict ended in a British victory and the vast majority of the islands' current residents wish to remain British, Argentina still claims ownership, arguing it inherited the islands from Spain in 1816.
FIFA has not yet commented on whether the players will face disciplinary action. However, political statements are not entirely new to this tournament. Earlier in the month, Iranian American fans displayed pre-revolutionary flags during matches in Los Angeles to protest the government in Tehran, though those matches were allowed to proceed without penalties.