Argentina’s Vice President Victoria Villarruel has called the English “usurping pirates” ahead of the World Cup semi-final between the two countries’ teams, a high-stakes match in Atlanta that has prompted the US city to increase security measures.
“Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates. It’s not just another match,” Villarruel said in a post on X on Wednesday.
The iconic match will take place against the backdrop of a lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as the Malvinas, in the South Atlantic Ocean.
“I’m not going to be politically correct or keep a cool head — it’s always something more against the English,” Villarruel wrote.
“It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last run, and it’s about stopping the invaders in their tracks,” she continued, referring to the late soccer legend Diego Maradona and current star striker Lionel Messi.
“Go Argentina! Because until our very last breath, we will keep claiming what is ours!” she wrote, echoing a popular anthem sung by Argentine fans during the tournament.
Villarruel’s father fought in the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina’s military dictatorship and the UK over the South Atlantic islands, whose sovereignty remains contested.
The 74-day conflict ended in a British victory, leaving 649 Argentines and 255 Britons dead.
The vice president’s remarks stood in contrast to those of Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and several players, who sought to play down the political and historical significance of the match.
“It’s a football match, plain and simple. So, mixing the two would be madness,” Scaloni said.
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Atlanta beefs up security
On Tuesday, Argentine Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva said that under the security plan for the semi-final in Atlanta fans would banned from bringing flags or other items referencing the Falkland Islands into the stadium.
The Atlanta Police Department has said it will have enhanced security in place, proactive measures that were the result of continual security assessment. The stadium in downtown Atlanta normally hosts NFL and Major League Soccer.
There have been isolated reports of minor disorder in the run-up to the match but the atmosphere was peaceful on Wednesday morning, with fans gathering in cafes and bars or playing cards as they waited outside the stadium.
In Mexico earlier in the tournament, there was a deadly crush as fans celebrated, but this World Cup has generally been free of the violent disorder that blighted some matches in the 1980s and 1990s.
Still, authorities are taking no chances. For the first time at this tournament, rival fans will be channelled through separate entrances at the stadium.
The rivalry between Argentina and England goes back decades and stems both from controversies at football matches and historical tensions.
