Argentina's players chanted about beating England "for the Falklands" as the two old rivals prepare to face off in the World Cup semifinal next week. The holders needed extra time to beat Switzerland 2-1 on Sunday, with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scoring to book their spot in the last four.
Chant References Malvinas and Maradona
As they celebrated in the dressing room, the players broke into song, chanting: "For the Malvinas, For Diego, For Leo's [Messi's] last one." They also joined supporters in another anti-English chant: "And you see it, and you see it, anyone who doesn't jump is an Englishman." The Malvinas is Argentina's term for the Falkland Islands, where 649 Argentine military personnel died in 1982 during the conflict with the United Kingdom.
Historic Rivalry Renewed
England and Argentina have not met competitively since the 2002 World Cup, when David Beckham's penalty secured a 1-0 win for England. Their last friendly was in 2005, won by England with a Michael Owen injury-time goal. Argentina are aiming to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain a World Cup.
Messi's Last Chance
Since Lionel Messi made his Argentina debut at 18, the sides have met only once, and he missed that friendly due to suspension. The semifinal represents a potential final World Cup clash for Messi, who has stated this tournament will be his last.
