ARGENTINA GOVERNMENT PROTESTS AFTER PLAYERS DISPLAY FALKLANDS BANNER

The Argentine government issued a formal note of protest to the British embassy in Buenos Aires after players displayed a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" (The Falklands are Argentinian) following their 2-1 World Cup semi-final victory over England on Wednesday evening. Several members of Lionel Scaloni's squad held up the banner on the field after the match. Anthony Gordon scored for England after 55 minutes, but Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez scored late goals to secure Argentina's progression to Sunday's final against Spain in New Jersey. England will face France in a third-place play-off on Saturday.

The banner display represents Argentina's long-standing claim to the Falkland Islands, which Britain has held sovereignty over since 1690. Argentina invaded the islands in 1982 in an attempt to assume control, prompting then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to deploy over 100 ships of troops to defend them. The resulting conflict lasted 74 days and resulted in 649 Argentine deaths, 255 British deaths and three Falkland Islander deaths, after which Britain reasserted control. Argentina continues to dispute Britain's claim to the territory.

The incident marks a rare moment where international sporting competition intersected with the territorial dispute. Argentina's continued assertion of its position on the islands comes more than four decades after the 1982 conflict concluded. The formal diplomatic protest from the Argentine government follows the players' actions on the pitch.