BUENOS AIRES: Argentina Vice President Victoria Villarruel has called the English “pirate usurpers” ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final between the two countries’ teams.
“Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates. It’s not just another match,” Villarruel said in a post on X.
This iconic match will take place against the backdrop of an ongoing sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as Malvinas, 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 race, and it’s about stopping the invaders in their tracks,” she continued, referring to soccer legend Diego Maradona and current star striker Lionel Messi.
“Come on Argentina! Because until our last breath, we will continue to claim what is ours!” she wrote, echoing a popular anthem sung by Argentina fans during the tournament.
Villarruel’s father fought in the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina’s military dictatorship and the United Kingdom over the South Atlantic islands, whose sovereignty remains disputed.
The conflict which lasted 74 days ended in a British victory, leaving 649 Argentines and 255 British dead.
The vice-president’s comments contrast with those of Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and several players, who sought to downplay the political and historical importance of the match.
“It’s a football game, pure and simple. So mixing the two would be madness,” Scaloni said.
On Tuesday, Argentina’s Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva said that under the security plan for the Atlanta semifinal, fans would be prohibited from bringing flags or other items referencing the Falkland Islands into the stadium.
