Starmer blasts Argentina stars in banner storm: 'World Cup might not be ours but Falklands are'

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Evening Standard

16 July 2026

‘Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver,’ says Downing Street in wake of growing row over post-match celebrations

Sir

Keir Starmer

has slammed

Argentina

players who brandished a banner in a

Falklands

row after their 2-1 victory over

England

in the

World Cup

Slapping down the stunt, the outgoing Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman said: “The

might not be ours but the Falkland Islands definitely are.

“Our position is unchanged.

“Self-determination rests with the islanders.

“Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver.”

Argentina players hold up a banner with the words ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (Nick Potts/PA)

PA Wire

Earlier, Cabinet minister

Peter Kyle

had

condemned the Argentinian stars over the protest, saying they lacked “dignity”.

The Business Secretary also urged governing body

Fifa

to “thoroughly” investigate what he described as an “egregious violation” of the rules after

defending champions Argentina beat the Three Lions 2-1 in Wednesday’s match in Atlanta, Georgia.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir

Ed Davey

called for Argentina’s players who celebrated with the Falklands banner to be suspended from the

final.

Argentina fans celebrated their victory jubilantly, with some near the pitch holding a banner which read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, which translates to “The Falkland Islands are Argentinian”.

The banner referring to the dispute over the British overseas territory made its way to the players, who held it up as they revelled in their win.

They are set to face disciplinary action for violating Article 34.3 of the tournament’s rules prohibiting the display of any political messages or slogans by players before, during or after a match.

A banner is seen on the pitch following Argentina's 2-1 win during the

FIFA

2026 Semi Final match against

Asked about Argentina’s players brandishing the banner, Business Secretary Mr Kyle told BBC Breakfast: “My reaction is that it was entirely inappropriate.

“Politics needs to be separate from football.

“In fact, the

has one of its central tenets that politics is separate from football.”

There were also calls for Argentinian stars who play in Britain to have their visas revoked if they took part in the banner

protest

A handful of the Argentinian team play in the

Premier League

including Manchester United's Lisandro Martínez, Tottenham's

Cristian Romero

, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez of Aston Villa, with Enzo Fernández at Chelsea but possibly leaving

Lisandro Martínez and former Spurs star Giovani Lo Celso held up the banner, grinning, and waved to fans in the stands.

‘Y’ company of the 1st Battalion the Royal Hampshire Regiment ‘The Tigers’ surround Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse at Goose Green, East Falkland, in 1982

PA Media

Meanwhile,

has lodged a diplomatic protest with the UK over what it called the “unlawful” movement of a Royal Navy patrol ship near the Falkland Islands.

Political tensions linger between

and Britain over the territory, which boiled over into a short and humiliating war for Buenos Aires after its forces launched an invasion in 1982.

It has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the islands, which are about 8,000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from mainland

In an official statement shared on X by Argentine foreign minister Pablo Quirno after the

match on Wednesday night, the country’s foreign affairs ministry expressed its “strongest rejection” of the movements of HMS Medway and accused Britain of a “military incursion” into its waters.

A formal note of protest was submitted to the British embassy earlier this week, the statement said.

But Downing Street dismissed the move, saying that the UK notified Argentina’s government of the Royal Navy ship’s movements in advance.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: “The facts here are that we notified the Argentinian government in advance of HMS Medway undertaking a routine logistics visit to Chile between 5 and 8 July to support British Antarctic survey operations, which will deliver essential stores and supplies to sustain scientific research in Antarctica.

“The Royal Navy always operates in full compliance with international law, and the transit from the Falkland Islands to Chile was carried out via the most direct practical route, considering operational safety and weather factors to ensure timely delivery.”

Before the

game,

boss Lionel Scaloni had said he did not want the fixture to become about the conflict over the territory.

But the country’s vice-president Victoria Villarruel tweeted a victory message at full-time saying “it wasn’t just another match” alongside a video of what appeared to be Argentinian soldiers.

In the build-up to the fixture, she had described

as “invaders” and “usurping pirates”.

Responding to the banner protest, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X: “The Falkland Islands are British.

“The Conservatives will always defend them.”

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, told The Standard: "FIFA should at least fine the Argentines for

breaking

their rules.

“After all it is very inflammatory, we went to war with them over protecting the rights of the islanders.

“Some punishment should be meted out.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stressed: “Whilst we are disgusted at the behaviour of some of the Argentinian players, the most important thing to do is build up the Royal Navy quickly.”

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