Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarruel has called the English “usurping pirates” ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final between both teams.
“Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates. It’s not just another match,” Villarruel said in a post on X.
This high-profile match comes amid a long-standing dispute over the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as the Malvinas, located in the South Atlantic Ocean.
“I’m not going to be politically correct or keep a cool head, it’s always something more against the English,” Villarruel wrote.
“It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last run, and it’s about stopping the invaders in their tracks,” she said, mentioning the late soccer star Diego Maradona and current striker Lionel Messi.
“Go Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will keep claiming what is ours!” she added, echoing a popular song sung by Argentine fans during the tournament.
Villarruel’s father fought in the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina’s military government and the UK over the South Atlantic islands, which are still disputed.
The conflict lasted 74 days and ended in a British victory, resulting in 649 Argentine and 255 British deaths.
Her comments are different from those of Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and several players, who tried to downplay the political and historical weight of the match.
“It’s a football match, plain and simple. So, mixing the two would be madness,” Scaloni said.
On Tuesday, Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva announced that under the security plan for the semi-final in Atlanta, fans would be banned from bringing flags or any items related to the Falkland Islands into the stadium.
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