Why are Argentina fans singing about England and the Falklands at the World Cup?

For Argentina , this World Cup semi-final does not offer the opportunity to “reignite” their rivalry with England . It’s been burning bright for generations. The cause of Falklands Islands , known as the Malvinas in Spanish, is ever-present in Argentinian culture, let alone its football. After their last-16 win over Egypt , their players celebrated by singing: “For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one.” England v Argentina LIVE: Historic rivalry renews in massive World Cup semi-final These are three overriding motives for success among Argentinians. Leo, for Messi and what is surely his last World Cup ; Diego, for the late, great Maradona; and the Malvinas, a group of islands which Argentina vehemently believe to be theirs. The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, 300 miles off the coast of Argentina, and have been a British Overseas Territory since 1833. Argentina’s vehement belief that the Falkland Islands should be under its sovereignty is enshrined in football culture (Getty) The group of islands were believed to be completely uninhabited when they were discovered, which meant Britain settled there without displacing indigenous people. This is disputed by activists in Argentina, who have long believed it should have sovereignty. The people that live on the Falklands, which has a population of around 3,700, overwhelmingly identify themselves as British. despite living on an outpost 8,000 miles away from mainland UK. They speak English and the culture is basically identical to that of rural or coastal Britain. But amid these tensions over sovereignty, the then-incumbent far-right Argentinian military dictatorship invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982, in a bid to wrestle control of the territory away from Britain. This resulted in the Falklands War , which lasted 74 days and took the lives of 907 people: 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 from Britain and three Falkland Islanders. Argentina did not expect such an aggressive response from Britain, operating under the assumption they had lost interest in the islands, and subsequently lost the war in emphatic fashion. The legacy of the Falklands War, and the memory of the soldiers lost 44 years ago, has bled into Argentina’s footballing culture. It is an inevitability that La Albiceleste fans will aim Falklands-based chants at the England fans in the seismic semi-final on Wednesday, such as: "And now you see, and now you see, whoever doesn't jump is English!" These sort of songs are regularly heard at football matches, whether that’s an Argentina international fixture or a domestic league matchup. The unique tensions of a World Cup clash with England therefore presents Fifa and other authorities with the task of ensuring nothing bubbles over. Atlanta Police are aware of the history between the countries and confirmed security would duly be increased ahead of the last-four clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta have deployed increased security for England vs Argentina (PA) Fifa, meanwhile, have the long-standing ‘Falklands rule’ for its refereeing appointments. An English official can not be appointed to an Argentina game nor a game which has a direct next-game consequence for Argentina, and vice-versa. This is why an English referee, whether it be Michael Oliver or Anthony Taylor, will not take charge of the final, given England and Argentina now face off in the semis. It also meant Taylor could not officiate the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France, despite initially being a top contender. Argentina’s vice-president stoked the fire by calling England “invaders” and “usurping pirates” before their semi-final clash, but others insist that expression surrounding the Falklands does not represent a hatred towards the British. The April 2 War Veterans Federation has called on the match to banish the Falklands from the narrative, saying in a statement: “Sport is not war: The semi-final match is a global sporting event, not an armed rematch or a form of historical redress.” Nevertheless, meetings between England and Argentina are rarely a tepid affair. Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ knocked England out of the World Cup in 1986 (Getty) The first clash since a friendly in 2005, England have been dealt serious World Cup heartache by Argentina over the years, with Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ sending the Three Lions home from Mexico ‘86 at the quarter-final stage. At the 1998 World Cup, England were again beaten by Argentina, this time on penalties in the round of 16 after drawing 2-2 in 120 minutes, a match which saw Michael Owen score one of the greatest World Cup goals in the country’s history before David Beckham was sent off. Beckham got his moment of redemption in a group-stage World Cup win in 2002, which acts as the last competitive game the two nations played out. It means that for anyone under 25, this will be the first meaningful England-Argentina match of their lifetime. A World Cup final on the line, the stakes could not be higher .