Sports
Argentina VP Links World Cup Semifinal to Falklands War; Coach Calls for Separation
July 15, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Coverage
Argentina Vice President Victoria Villarruel has described the upcoming semifinal against England as a match against "pirates who stole our land," while coach Lionel Scaloni urged the game be kept separate from politics.
- Villarruel wrote on X that the match carries meaning beyond football, referencing the Falklands, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi's final World Cup.
- Villarruel added that the game is a chance to "stop the invaders" and that Argentina would continue demanding its rights "to the last breath."
- Scaloni told reporters the match is a football game and should remain separate, stating that current players have no connection to events from years ago.
- Villarruel's father fought in the 1982 Falklands War between Britain and Argentina.