FIFA will not punish the Argentina national team for their chants about the Falkland Islands in the dressing room after their World Cup round of 16 victory over Egypt. The defending champions were heard singing the song 'Muchachos,' which includes references to the remote British overseas territory, following their 3-2 win.
Falklands War Reference
The chants occurred 44 years after the Falklands War, which claimed 907 lives between April 2 and June 14, 1982. The song's lyrics include the line: "I am Argentine from cradle to grave, for the Malvinas, for Diego (Maradona), for Leo's (Messi) final chapter." It also opens with: "I was born in Argentina, land of Diego and Lionel, and of the Malvinas lads whom I'll never forget." Argentinians refer to the Falkland Islands as 'Las Malvinas,' making the reference a direct nod to the conflict.
Potential Semi-Final Clash
If England overcome Norway on Saturday night and Argentina defeat Switzerland in the early hours of Sunday morning, the two old rivals will face off in the semi-finals. The Falklands conflict and the chants are likely to overshadow the potential clash.
FIFA's Inconsistent Enforcement
Despite FIFA's strict rules against political expression within stadiums, the governing body will not penalise the South Americans, according to the Daily Mail. Before the World Cup, FIFA warned about flags "that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature." An England flag featuring a silhouette of a soldier was confiscated, as was a flag belonging to supporters from Barrow, which included a submarine—Barrow being famous for submarine production. The decision to take away England flags for political messages but not penalise Argentina has led to accusations of inconsistency.
Mirror Football has reached out to FIFA for a comment.
FIFA's Previous Controversies
FIFA has faced criticism for several decisions at this World Cup. They suspended Folarin Balogun's one-game suspension for a year, allowing him to play in the USA's clash with Belgium after President Donald Trump phoned Gianni Infantino. FIFA insisted a disciplinary panel made the decision, but Infantino's posturing with Trump has led many to doubt the explanation.
