Argentina’s players sang a song which insults the English and makes reference to the Falklands War after beating Croatia to reach the World Cup final.
Lionel Scaloni’s side picked up a comfortable 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday to book their place in Sunday’s final in Qatar. Lionel Messi ’s penalty and two goals from Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez ensured Argentina will play the winner of France vs Morocco’s semi-final this weekend.
After opening their campaign with a shock 2-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia, Argentina have now picked up five straight wins. They will play in their sixth World Cup final and will be aiming for their third trophy – and their first since Diego Maradona inspired them to the title in 1986.
The victory prompted joyous scenes inside the Lusail Stadium, with Messi and his teammates hugging each other and singing with their fans. Scaloni was caught on camera bursting into tears while embracing Messi, but their celebrations took a different tone once inside the dressing room.
Defender Nicolas Otamendi’s Instagram story showed how they celebrated reaching their first final since the heartbreak against Germany in 2014. The players and coaching staff are shown jumping up and down, swinging shirts around their heads while singing in unison a song which has been commonplace among supporters in Qatar.
The song as, relayed by Marca, describes rivals Brazil as the "crumpled the five-time champions", says "f***ing English" and includes reference to the Malvinas.
As neighbours, Brazil are Argentina’s biggest rivals – and it seems their exit from the tournament at the hands of Croatia in the quarter-finals was well received across the border.
The Malvinas, meanwhile, are a reference to the Islas Malvinas – the Argentine name for the Falkland Islands, over which Argentina and Britain fought a war in 1982.
The sovereignty of the territory in the South Atlantic remains disputed by Argentina, who maintained their invasion was a reclamation of its own territory. The Falklands have been a British crown colony since 1841 and the population is heavily derived from British settlers, who have always favoured British rule.
Speaking after the win, Scaloni tried to sum up what it meant for his squad. "It’s difficult to put this in words,” he said. “This is what I’ve always dreamed of as an Argentinean. It is emotional and our people support us in a way which is unforgettable. We are making history.
"We're celebrating because it's something very exciting, but there's still a step left. It's a time to enjoy, but we already have to think about what's to come."
