'Wrong' to make World Cup clash about Falklands
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has urged fans and media to separate the upcoming World Cup semi-final against England from the historical tensions of the Falklands War. Both teams are focused on the sporting challenge as they aim for a place in the final.
Why it matters
This reflects the intersection of sports and historical geopolitics, emphasizing the efforts of athletes to maintain professional boundaries.
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has tried to ease potential tensions ahead of the blockbusting World Cup semi-final with England.
While the rivalry between the two countries is rich in history on the pitch, with Diego Maradona and David Beckham headline acts, it goes beyond football.
Tensions over the Falklands War in 1982 remain off the field and Argentina still dispute the sovereignty of the British overseas territory, with their fans regularly singing songs about it.
Over 900 people died during the conflict, but Scaloni says it has no bearing on to tonight's semi-final ( 8pm Irish time ).
"It’s a football match; I can’t mix things up, out of respect for what happened so many years ago," he said.
"It was a very sad time in our history, and there isn’t much we can do about it. Mixing the two would be madness. We criticise that there was war.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in