Argentina war vets urge focus on football for England World Cup semifinal

One of sport’s great rivalries sees Argentina face England in an ever feisty encounter in the 2026 edition’s semifinal.

A federation of Argentinian war veterans has called on football supporters to ⁠focus on the game ⁠ahead of their World Cup semifinal against England rather than use the match as a platform to push sovereignty claims over South ⁠Atlantic islands.

Argentina and Britain fought a short conflict over the islands known by the British as the Falklands and by Argentinians as the Malvinas in 1982, in ⁠which 649 Argentinian soldiers and 255 British fighters died.

The group said on Monday that the match was “not an armed rematch nor historical compensation”, urging fans and the wider public to honour the memory of Argentinian soldiers killed in the conflict without ‌promoting hatred or xenophobia.

“Sovereignty is defended in international forums through diplomacy, historical truth and the peaceful, non-negotiable claim enshrined in our national constitution,” the April 2 War Veterans Federation said in a statement.

“We consider it essential to draw a clear and unwavering line between sporting passion and the national cause.”

“The ball rolls, pride in our colours multiplies, but memory remains intact.”

The United Kingdom claims ⁠sovereignty over the islands and maintains a military presence ⁠there, while Argentina continues to pursue its claim through diplomatic channels and international bodies, including the United Nations.

During the World Cup, Argentina fans and players have been singing a chant referencing the ⁠islands, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi’s bid to end his international career with a second World Cup title.

Argentina’s players ⁠and coaching staff, however, have sought to cool ⁠rivalry talk in the run-up to Wednesday’s match, with manager Lionel Scaloni saying there will be nothing more than football at stake when the two sides meet in Atlanta.

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford echoed his words ‌on Monday, saying the semifinal was “just a game of football”.

“It’s two proud nations. The football will do its talking,” Pickford told reporters.

Argentina and England share one ‌of international football’s most storied rivalries, marked by several high-profile World Cup meetings, including the 1986 quarterfinal that featured Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” goal.