Argentina vice president calls England ‘pirate usurpers’ before World Cup semifinal
Argentina’s vice‑president Victoria Villarruel posted on X the day before the World Cup 2026 semifinal in Atlanta, calling England “pirate usurpers” and linking the match to the long‑standing Falklands (Malvinas) sovereignty dispute. She said she would not be “politically correct” and invoked the 1982 war, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi’s final tournament. Villarruel’s father fought in the Falklands war. Coach Lionel Scaloni and security minister Alejandra Monteoliva asked fans and players to keep politics out of the game, with U.S. security plans banning Malvinas‑related flags in the stadium.
The match ended 2‑1 to Argentina after a hard‑fought second half. Lionel Messi assisted both Argentine goals – Enzo Fernández’s equaliser and Lautaro Martínez’s winning header in stoppage time – sending Argentina to the final against Spain. The semifinal attracted over 68,000 spectators in Atlanta, with English fans gathering in Mallorca’s Magaluf area and extensive media coverage across Argentina, the United Kingdom and worldwide.
The episode revived historical tensions dating back to the 1982 Falklands conflict, echoing past World Cup encounters such as the 1986 “Hand of God” match, while the sporting result secured Argentina’s bid to defend its title.