Victoria Villarruel reignites Falklands row as FBI puts England vs Argentina on highest security alert of the tournament.
The World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina has been plunged into political controversy after Argentina’s Vice President branded England “usurping pirates” and “invaders” in an extraordinary pre-match outburst.
Victoria Villarruel, deputy to Argentine President Javier Milei, used social media to issue an emotional rallying cry just hours before the crunch clash, invoking the Falkland Islands and urging her country’s players to “put the brakes on the invaders”.
She wrote: “Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates. This isn’t just another match.”
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The vice president continued: “It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last one, and it’s putting the brakes on the invaders. Go Argentina! Because until our last breath, we’re going to claim what’s ours!”
Villarruel’s comments have reignited the decades-old dispute over the Falkland Islands, known as Las Malvinas in Argentina.
Her remarks carry extra significance because her father served in the Argentine forces that surrendered after the 74-day Falklands War in 1982.
Earlier this year, she also sparked outrage by claiming Falkland Islanders were simply “English people who live in Argentine territory” and suggested those who considered themselves British should “go back” to Britain.
The inflammatory comments stand in stark contrast to Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, who has repeatedly urged supporters to separate football from politics.
Speaking before the match, Scaloni said: “It’s a football match. I can’t mix things up, out of respect for what happened so many years ago.”
He added: “It was a very sad time in our history... Mixing the two would be madness.”
England manager Thomas Tuchel also acknowledged the emotional backdrop to the contest.
“They are fuelled by history,” he said. “But we are also emotional, we have the grit, we have the mentality that it takes to go up against it.”
Despite the political rhetoric, many supporters in Atlanta insisted the semi-final should remain about football.
One Argentina fan said: “It shouldn’t be more than football… Let the politicians do that.”
England supporters also reported largely friendly encounters with Argentine fans in the United States, although some recalled the Falklands issue dominating conversations during previous tournaments.Security concerns have intensified ahead of kick-off.
American authorities have designated England vs Argentina as the highest-risk fixture of the World Cup, with the FBI placing the match under its strongest security arrangements amid fears political tensions could spill into the stands.
While players and coaches have tried to keep the focus on football, the latest intervention from Argentina’s vice president has ensured one of international football’s fiercest rivalries will once again be played out against a backdrop of history, politics and national pride.
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