Argentina's Premier League stars collectively pay an estimated £22.99 million in UK income tax and employee National Insurance each year, equivalent to nearly a third of Britain's annual £60 million defence bill for the Falkland Islands. This revelation comes after six members of Argentina's World Cup squad sparked fury by displaying a banner claiming the Falklands for Argentina following their 2-1 semi-final victory over England in Atlanta.
Controversial Celebration
Current and former Premier League players in Lionel Scaloni's squad, including Tottenham captain Cristian Romero and Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez, were photographed holding a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" ("The Falkland Islands are Argentinian") after the dramatic win over Thomas Tuchel's England. The gesture prompted outrage in Britain and calls for FIFA to investigate whether the players breached tournament rules banning political messages.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez said: "I can picture a Malvinas veteran seeing that and weeping. I don't know if there might be sanctions or not, but what they did was display that banner and assert that the islands belong to us."
Tax Contributions
Based on reported salaries for the forthcoming season, Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Marcos Senesi, Enzo Fernández, and Alexis Mac Allister are estimated to contribute almost £23 million to HM Revenue & Customs annually. This figure represents approximately a third of Britain's estimated yearly cost of defending the Falkland Islands, previously put at more than £60 million.
Political and Historical Context
The Falkland Islands have been a British Overseas Territory since 1833, with islanders voting overwhelmingly to remain British in a 2013 referendum. The sovereignty dispute escalated into the 1982 Falklands War after Argentine forces invaded the islands. The 74-day conflict claimed the lives of 255 British military personnel, 649 Argentine military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands.
Responding to the controversy, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The World Cup 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." The Falkland Islands Government also said it was "disappointed" by the players' actions, although it added it was "regrettably not surprised."
FIFA Investigation
Argentina's players have previously referenced the Falklands in post-match celebrations, singing: "For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo's last one" – a tribute to Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. FIFA is now considering whether disciplinary action is warranted. Article 34.3 of the tournament regulations prohibits players from displaying political messages or slogans before, during, or after matches.
A FIFA spokesperson said: "As is standard procedure, FIFA's independent Disciplinary Committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the FIFA Disciplinary Code."
