Argentina rugby fans displayed a banner asserting their claim to the Falkland Islands, referred to as 'Malvinas' in Spanish, during a match against South Africa on Saturday. The sign, reading 'Los Malvinas son Argentinas,' translates to 'The Falkland Islands are Argentinian.' Argentina lost the rugby match with a score of 10-17.
This incident follows a similar display by Argentinian footballers after their World Cup semi-final win against England. Following that victory, the football team asserted their claim over the islands, a self-governing British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. Britain has administered the Falklands since 1833, and a 2013 referendum saw 99.8% of citizens vote to remain a British territory. The islands were the site of a conflict between Argentina and the UK in 1982.
The football team's actions after their World Cup semi-final win prompted a strong reaction in the UK. Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated, "the World Cup might not be ours, the Falkland Islands definitely are. Self-determination rests with the islanders and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver." FIFA initiated an investigation into the football team's display, as their rules prohibit political messaging during the tournament. However, FIFA had previously not acted on references to the 1982 conflict in songs sung by the team after their victories.
Argentinian President Javier Milei commented on the players' celebration, describing it as "perfectly valid" and stating the message "reflects a sentiment shared by all Argentines." He added that for Argentinians, winning the World Cup was synonymous with beating England.
The rugby match on Saturday marked Argentina's first game since their contentious defeat by England the previous month, a match where similar banners were reportedly displayed. The rugby team also appeared to reference Diego Maradona's 1986 World Cup-winning team, a tournament notable for Maradona's "Hand of God" goal against England in the quarter-finals. That rugby match concluded with controversy after a late try for Argentina was disallowed, leading to their fly-half Tomas Albornoz receiving a four-game suspension for allegedly confronting the referee.