FIFA’s position on whether to punish Argentina for the Falklands song before a possible game against England
FIFA has decided not to take any action against Argentina after their players sang a chant in the dressing room mentioning the Falkland Islands following their big World Cup round of 16 win over Egypt.
Lionel Scaloni’s team made it to the quarter-finals of this summer’s tournament in North America, thanks to one of the most amazing comebacks in World Cup history. The defending champions were down by two goals at the 78th minute and looked like they might be knocked out. Even when Cristian Romero scored to make it 2-1, their chances of winning were only 0.6%, according to Opta.
But Argentina showed the strong spirit that helped them win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with goals from Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez bringing an unforgettable 3-2 victory for La Albiceleste.
After the match, the Argentine Football Association shared a video on social media of the team celebrating in the dressing room, singing their new World Cup anthem, La Cuarta Estrella (The Fourth Star). The song mentions “the Malvinas,” which is what Argentina calls the Falklands.
Here’s a part of the song:
“I am a fan of the national team, I cheer it on with all my heart.
We won the third title with Lionel, and we want to be champions again.
And 32 years later, La Scaloneta will get back the trophy that was taken from the No 10,
The one we weren’t allowed to lift.
I want to see the fourth star shining on the jersey.
I am Argentine from cradle to grave, for the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s final chapter.
Argentina, I want to see you become back-to-back champions.”
The Falklands War was a 74-day conflict in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over control of the Falkland Islands. Sadly, 649 Argentine and 255 British soldiers lost their lives.
According to the Daily Mail, FIFA won’t take any action against Argentina for mentioning the Falklands.
Earlier in the tournament, some England fans were not allowed to bring flags into a stadium because they showed the silhouette of a soldier, as a mark of respect for those who died in wars. Similarly, some Barrow supporters couldn’t display a St George’s cross because it had an image of a submarine, which goes against tournament rules about military images.
If Argentina and England both win their quarter-final matches against Switzerland and Norway, they will meet in Atlanta on July 15. The winner of that game will play in the final on June 19.