Argentina risk FIFA punishment for anti-England banner as calls made for visas to be revoked

Argentina could be at risk of punishment from FIFA after displaying a political banner following the 2-1 World Cup semi-final win over England.

After going 1-0 down through a strike from Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute, the world champions turned it around with late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez to reach a second consecutive World Cup final.

One of the most feisty fixtures in international football given the history between the two nations, there were plenty of heated moments in the game and then post-match Jude Bellingham was at the centre of an ugly incident when he was spotted slapping Argentina substitute Valentin Barco.

Some Argentina players celebrated in the faces of England players but there was also a political element to the celebrations.

A banner with the words, “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas”, which translates to "The Falkland Islands are Argentine", was carried by the players on the pitch.

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Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso were among those to hold the banner referencing the 1982 conflict, where there were a total of 907 deaths - 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British combatants and three civilians.

Argentina has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, leading to the rivalry with England on the pitch.

Manager Lionel Scaloni called for politics to be left out of the game and said "we shouldn't confuse the two".

But Argentina's vice president Victoria Villarruel did not follow the same approach as she branded England "usurping pirates and "invaders".

FIFA prohibits political messages and in 2014 Argentina were fined by the governing body when then entire team posed for a picture with the banner with the same words prior to a World Cup warm-up game against Slovenia.

FIFA deemed the banner to breach their disciplinary code and issued a fine for around £20,000 as well as an official reprimand for the Argentina Football Association.

Calls for Argentina players to have visas revoked for what they did after England win

Midfielder Leandro Paredes also held the banner and explained why it still holds such significance for the entire country.

"It's a sad part of our history," Paredes said, as per Sky News.

"For everyone involved in that chapter of, I repeat, our history, it hurts.

"We knew we were playing for them too, for all the people, for our entire nation. I believe we did it in the best possible way."

Business secretary Peter Kyle said the displaying of the banner was "entirely inappropriate" and said that "FIFA should be looking into this".

Nile Gardiner, a former aide with Margaret Thatcher and a contributor for The Telegraph, demanded that all UK-based Argentina players should have their visas revoked.

Martinez, Romero, Alexis Mac Allister, Emiliano Martínez and goalscorer Fernandez all currently play in the Premier League.

"Every Argentine player in the English Premier League who took part in this ugly anti-British display should be stripped of their UK work visa. There should be zero tolerance for this," Gardiner on X.

The same stance was adopted by Robert Taylor in The Spectator, as he called for the government to "revoke the visas of these Argentinians.

On Sky News, political analyst Jon Craig expected British politicians to push for action to be taken against the Argentina players who live in England.

He said: "I think there will be real anger among a lot of British politicians about that. I think what might happen here in this country is...FIFA won't do anything, perhaps not.

But there will probably be some calls from some British politicians for some sort of disciplinary action against the five Argentine players who play in the Premier League. I don't know, fines, visas, I don't know.

"I can just imagine some angry reaction, especially from say conservative politicians, and possibly former politicians as well. But that's just speculation on my part."

Argentina take on Spain in Sunday's final, with England facing France in the third place play-off the day before.