Argentina's 'Dokdo is Our Land' Moment: Celebrating Despite Risk of Sanctions

[Anchor]

After defeating England, Argentine players sparked a major controversy by performing a ceremony claiming the Falkland Islands—a territory currently in a sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom—as Argentine land. While they are highly likely to face disciplinary action from FIFA for violating political neutrality, neither the players nor the fans seemed to care as they enjoyed a night of celebration.

Reporter Bae Jeonghun has the story.

[Reporter]

Following a dramatic comeback victory against England, the Argentine players unfurled a banner they had brought with them.

The banner read, "The Malvinas are Argentine territory."

Malvinas is the Argentine name for the Falkland Islands, which are currently the subject of a sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom.

In the locker room, the Argentine players also sang, "Let's win for the Malvinas."

[Voice: For the Malvinas, for Maradona, and for Messi's final run! Argentina, show us a second consecutive championship title!]

Argentina had displayed a banner with the same message during the 2014 tournament and was fined approximately 40 million won by FIFA for violating political neutrality. However, the players and fans were completely unbothered, pouring out their long-held resentment toward the United Kingdom.

Veterans who fought in the Falklands War were moved to tears by the victory over England and were unable to finish their sentences.

[Interview: Carlos Salinas / Falklands War Veteran: This means so much to us.]

The Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, transformed into a scene of celebration.

The streets surrounding the square, where the Obelisk stands tall, were packed with a crowd of 2 million people, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display.

Celebrations broke out across the globe, including in Barcelona, Spain, where Messi lived for 21 years; in Scotland, which shares a rivalry with England despite being part of the same United Kingdom; and in Bangladesh, known for its particularly strong support for the Argentine national team.

(Source: X (@ArturoVill7, @Esports3), Argentine Football Association SNS YouTube (Alvaka) | Video by Lee Jae-seong | Graphics by Seo Seung-hyun, Han Song-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.