Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarreal has called England “occupiers” and “looting pirates” ahead of the World Cup semi-final clash. The long-standing political rivalry between Argentina and Great Britain over the 1982 Falklands War has now turned into a bitter war of words ahead of the on-field battle.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, however, called mixing politics and sport “crazy” ahead of the clash with England, but the Latin American country’s vice president added fuel to the fire by taking to social media.
“Tomorrow we play against the occupying pirates,” Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarreal wrote in a post on Tuesday. “This is not just another match. I cannot show political restraint or sit back; a match against the English is always special. This is our Malvinas (Falkland Islands), this is our Diego (Maradona), this is Messi’s last World Cup, and this is the fight to stop the foreign invaders. Go Argentina! Because until our last breath, we will demand our rights!”
The Falkland Islands are known to Argentines as “Las Malvinas,” although in a 2013 referendum, residents voted overwhelmingly to remain a UK overseas territory. Atlanta’s administration has already deployed additional police and security personnel to ensure safety for the match, fearing that the political tension could spill over into the stands.
Meanwhile, coach Lionel Scaloni did his best to steer clear of the geopolitical debate at his pre-match press conference. “It’s just a football match; with all due respect to the tragic events that happened many years ago, I cannot reconcile the two,” the Albiceleste coach said. “That was a very dark and sad time in our history, and we have nothing to do with it now. It would be madness to mix sports and politics. We have always hated war.”
England coach Thomas Tuchel has also called for calm following the Argentine vice president’s provocative remarks. Stressing the need to keep football and politics separate, he said, “Of course, people remember history, and they don’t forget what happened in the past. But this is just a football match — we should keep these two things separate.”
Paying tribute to the wounds of war, Tuchel added, “Yes, we remember and honor all the Argentine citizens and lives lost in the Falklands War. But let’s not lump everything together. What connection can today’s generation of footballers have with a historical event from so many years ago?”
