Players of Argentina hold a Falklands banner after the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final match between England and Argentina. (Image: Getty Images)
Argentina have announced that July 15 will be known as National Football Teams Day, marking the day their national team defeated England in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup. The match was marred by unsavoury scenes after the final whistle and the controversial Falklands banner will make another appearance.
The banner, ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’, which translates to The Malvinas (the Spanish name for The Falklands) are Argentine, will be presented to Argentine veterans of the conflict. The decision to approve the national day and resolution for the banner was made at a meeting of their Association and Professional League Executive Committee, chaired by AFA president Claudio Tapia.
A statement read: “The tribute is not solely for that milestone achieved by the senior national team. The recognition is, of course, also for each and every one of the national teams – youth, men’s and women’s – that train day in and day out at the Lionel Andres Messi complex with the hope, joy, and responsibility of defending the national colours.”
The decision to establish a permanent day of recognition for the victory came as defeating the Three Lions “set the whole country alight, with people flooding the streets in pure celebration,” according to the statement.
Argentina’s conduct in the wake of the final whistle prompted FIFA to launch disciplinary proceedings against the nation after players unveiled a banner bearing the message: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.”
FIFA cited a number of violations, including the use of discriminatory chants and gestures, misconduct, security and protocol failures, and the display of inappropriate messages.
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The Falklands are a British Overseas Territory situated in the south-west Atlantic Ocean and remain the subject of a bitter dispute between the two countries.
England stars after losing to Argentina. (Image: AP)
In 1982, Argentina invaded the islands, triggering an armed conflict. The war lasted 74 days and resulted in the deaths of 655 Argentine and 255 British soldiers, with three islanders also losing their lives.
The banner was handmade from a bed sheet, with the slogan daubed in black paint. It was passed to former Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez, Tottenham defender Cuti Romero and ex-Spurs player Giovanni Lo Celso, though the vast majority of the Argentine squad aligned themselves behind its message.
Those responsible for creating the banner are said to be members of a group hailing from Villa Luro, a district of Buenos Aires. According to a report from InfoBae, they managed to smuggle the flag into the stadium in Atlanta by concealing it in their underwear.
The homemade flag has since sparked replicas in stadiums throughout Argentine football, with certain clubs, including Ferro Carril Oeste, embracing the typeface and displaying a version of their own.
It has been suggested the controversial banner is in “good hands” after being retained by Patricio Auber, who travelled with the team delegation to the World Cup. The flag is now believed to be located in the country and will shortly be passed on to Argentines who served in the Falklands conflict.