The White House defends the Argentine team on the Falklands banner

Downing Street He has called on FIFA to investigate A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: “The World Cup may not be ours, but the Falklands certainly are. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver.”

The No 10 added that action against Argentina players who unfurled the Argentina banner was “a matter for FIFA”, with Business Secretary Peter Kyle suggesting the world football governing body should be investigated.

The Falkland Islands government said it was “saddened but not surprised” by the flag and hoped FIFA would “sanction any behavior of this nature in line with its own rules”.

“We do not want to see politics entering sports,” the statement added.

Nor do we wish the islands and their people to be used as a political football in all the talk about England and Argentina.

In the year In 2013, the people of the Falkland Islands voted overwhelmingly to remain a UK overseas territory.

In the two-day referendum, out of 1,517 votes – with a turnout of over 90% – 1,513 were in favor and only three against.

“It wasn’t just another match,” Argentina vice president Victoria Villaruel posted on X after Wednesday’s win, along with a video of what appeared to be Argentine soldiers.

“The Falklands are Argentina,” Villarreal posted. “Forbid them to bring them to the stadium and forget that they are carried in our blood and in our hearts.”

Argentina’s players also sang chants of Falklands and Argentina greats Maradona and Lionel Messi as they beat Egypt 3-2 in the last 16.

In 1982, a short but bitter war broke out between Britain and Argentina.

A British military task force evicts Argentine forces on the Falklands to stake a territorial claim.

During the 74-day conflict, 255 British soldiers, three islanders and 649 Argentine soldiers died.