{"success":true,"data":{"id":"04063a7a-65ed-4684-949f-b14f5e65186e","title":"Why are Argentina fans singing about England and the Falklands at the World Cup?","summary":"Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Not now Yes please US Edition Change Support Now × \"Clear search box\") Custom Search Sort by Relevance Date NewsNews World CupWorld Cup SportsSports CultureCulture LifestyleLifestyle MoneyMon...","content":"## Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent\n\nNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.\n\nNot now Yes please\n\nUS Edition Change\n\nSupport Now\n\n[×](javascript:void(0) \"Clear search box\")\n\nCustom Search\n\nSort by\n\nRelevance\n\nDate\n\n*   News[News](https://www.independent.co.uk/us)\n\n*   World Cup[World Cup](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup)\n\n*   Sports[Sports](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport)\n\n*   Culture[Culture](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment)\n\n*   Lifestyle[Lifestyle](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style)\n\n*   Money[Money](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money)\n\n*   Travel[Travel](https://www.independent.co.uk/us/travel)\n\n*   Premium[Premium](https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium)\n\nMore\n\nMore\n\n### Thank you for registering\n\nPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in\n\n# Why are Argentina fans singing about England and the Falklands at the World Cup?\n\n## There is a unique historical tension surrounding England vs Argentina which will ensure their World Cup semi-final is a fiery affair\n\n[Will Castle](https://www.independent.co.uk/author/will-castle)Wednesday 15 July 2026 17:32 BST\n\n*   Copy link  \n*   Bookmark  \n*   [Comments](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/argentina-fans-falklands-chants-england-world-cup-b3015533.html#comments-area)Go to comments  \n\n## Bookmark popover\n\nRemoved from bookmarks\n\nClose popover\n\nPowered By\n\n10 Sec\n\n39.8K\n\n0\n\nEngland Vs Argentina World Cup Semi-final Will Be One For The History Books\n\nNext video in\n\nNext\n\nKEEP WATCHING\n\nEngland vs Argentina World Cup Semi-final Will Be One For The History Books\n\n### Your support helps us to tell the story\n\nFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.\n\nAt such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.\n\nThe Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.\n\n**Your support makes all the difference.**\n\nFor [Argentina](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/argentina), this World Cup semi-final does not offer the opportunity to “reignite” their [rivalry with England](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/england-argentina-world-cup-rivalry-history-b3014155.html). It’s been burning bright for generations.\n\n[The cause of Falklands Islands](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/falklands-war-england-argentina-history-deaths-world-cup-b3015207.html \"What you need to know about the Falklands War before England vs Argentina at the World Cup\"), known as the Malvinas in Spanish, is ever-present in Argentinian culture, let alone its football. After their [last-16 win over Egypt](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/argentina-lionel-messi-egypt-world-cup-2026-result-b3010742.html), their players celebrated by singing: “For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one.”\n\nThese are three overriding motives for success among Argentinians. Leo, for [Messi and what is surely his last World Cup](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/lionel-messi-england-argentina-world-cup-semi-final-b3014348.html); Diego, for the late, great Maradona; and the Malvinas, a group of islands which Argentina vehemently believe to be theirs.\n\nThe Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, 300 miles off the coast of Argentina, and have been a British Overseas Territory since 1833.\n\nopen image in gallery\n\nArgentina’s vehement belief that the Falkland Islands should be under its sovereignty is enshrined in football culture(Getty)\n\nThe group of islands were believed to be completely uninhabited when they were discovered, which meant Britain settled there without displacing indigenous people. This is disputed by activists in Argentina, who have long believed it should have sovereignty.\n\nThe people that live on the Falklands, which has a population of around 3,700, overwhelmingly identify themselves as British. despite living on an outpost 8,000 miles away from mainland UK. They speak English and the culture is basically identical to that of rural or coastal Britain.\n\nBut amid these tensions over sovereignty, the then-incumbent far-right Argentinian military dictatorship invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982, in a bid to wrestle control of the territory away from Britain.\n\nThis resulted in the [Falklands War](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/falklands-war), which lasted 74 days and took the lives of 907 people: 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 from Britain and three Falkland Islanders.","source_name":"The Independent","source_url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/argentina-fans-falklands-chants-england-world-cup-b3015533.html","url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/argentina-fans-falklands-chants-england-world-cup-b3015533.html","author":"Will Castle","author_name":"Will Castle","published_at":"2026-07-15T16:32:37.000Z","publication_date":"2026-07-15T16:32:37.000Z","image_url":"https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/07/15/15/1250207579..","category":"sport","topic":"sport","tags":[],"political_bias":null,"bias_score":null,"confidence_score":null,"credibility_score":null,"factual_quality":null,"reading_time":4,"word_count":653,"view_count":0,"breaking":false,"breaking_news":false,"ai_analysis":null,"fact_check_status":"unverified","archive_status":"hot"}}