Millions of fans have signed a petition demanding that Argentina are permanently banned from the World Cup. The losing finalists have sparked plenty of anger in recent weeks, drawing criticism for their aggressive playing style and repeated antics during the tournament.
Political banner and violent scenes
After beating England in the semi-finals, a number of their players held up a political banner referencing the Falkland Islands. Immediately after the World Cup final, they were responsible for violent scenes after Leandro Paredes attacked several Spain players as they celebrated their victory. The vast majority of the Argentina squad also turned their backs as La Roja lifted the iconic golden trophy.
Controversial decisions earlier in tournament
Earlier in the tournament, many fans suggested that the World Cup was tipped in favour of Argentina following their controversial victory over Egypt. Their opponents had a goal disallowed by VAR that would have seen them double their lead, while they were equally furious at the failure to award a penalty just moments before Argentina's decisive winner.
The handling of the fixture led to theories about the World Cup being rigged to give them an advantage, which were amplified by Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan after the final whistle.
Petition gains massive support
Now, it has emerged that a huge number of football fans want Argentina permanently banned from the World Cup. A petition, titled Argentina Out, gained a ridiculous 23,316,108 signatures from 170 countries around the globe. An initial target of five million was set by organisers, but the final total saw it become one of the most widely-signed petitions in history.
Launched during the World Cup, it accused FIFA of showing 'bias' towards Argentina, something the governing body have strenuously denied. The text on the petition read: "Why should the rest of the teams play in the tournament if the winner is known in advance? Exclude Argentina from the World Cup and give everyone a fair chance."
After the final, which saw Spain beat Argentina thanks to an extra-time winner from Ferran Torres, the petition was closed. Organisers added a short statement, which read: "FIFA ignored us but Spain delivered. Thank you, Spain."
Argentina's next World Cup participation
Argentina are already confirmed to be participating in the next World Cup as one of several host nations, marking the 100th anniversary of the tournament. Some of their fans started a petition of their own following Sunday's final, calling for it to be replayed in full due to 'rigged refereeing decisions'. So far, it has gained over 80,000 signatures.
