The "Malvinas" sign ignites a political crisis... after Argentina's victory over England - Sarmad

The celebration by the Argentine national team players after their victory over England in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup sparked political controversy when they held up a banner stating, “The Falkland Islands are Argentine.”

In response, British official Neil Gardiner, former aide to the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, called for the revocation of work visas for Argentine players active in the English Premier League who participated in this initiative.

Gardiner stated on his X account: “Work visas for every Argentine player in the Premier League who took part in this anti-British act must be canceled. No leniency should be shown toward such actions.”

His comments come amid the ongoing historical dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands (known in Argentina as the Malvinas), a contentious issue between the two nations since the 1982 war.

The English Premier League currently features six Argentine national team players: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Marcos Senesi (Tottenham), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), and Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea).

The Argentine national team is preparing to face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in the United States.