The symbolic weight of the 2026 World Cup semifinal between Argentina and England is reigniting political tensions, exposing sharp differences between President Javier Milei and Vice President Victoria Villarruel, once allies and now political rivals.
While Malvinas War veterans and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni sought to separate the match from politics and the still-open wound of the islands’ dispute, Villarruel embraced the symbolism.
On Tuesday night, hours before kickoff, the vice president — whose father was a Malvinas War veteran — wrote on X that Argentina would be playing “against the usurping pirates,” referring to the English and Britain’s continued control of the Malvinas Islands.
“This is not just another game. I will not be politically correct or leave my passion behind. When we face the English, there always is something else,” Villarruel wrote.
“It’s Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo’s last cup and it’s stopping the invaders,” she added, quoting lyrics from a new Argentina football anthem that pays tribute to Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. “We will claim what is ours until our last breath!”
Mañana jugamos contra los piratas usurpadores.
No es un partido más.
No voy a ser políticamente correcta ni pecho frío, contra los ingleses siempre es algo más. Es Malvinas, es el Diego, es la última de Leo y es pararle el carro a los invasores.
¡Aguante Argentina! Porque…
— Victoria Villarruel (@VickyVillarruel) July 15, 2026 Villarruel’s remarks underscore how heavily charged an Argentina-England match remains beyond football, evoking memories of the 1982 Malvinas War, Argentina’s longstanding sovereignty claim over the islands, the British invasions of Buenos Aires in the early 19th century and, of course, the iconic 1986 World Cup quarterfinal between the two nations.
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Milei’s stance Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier sought to lower the temperature on Tuesday while reaffirming Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Malvinas.
Milei has repeatedly praised former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who led the United Kingdom during the 1982 war and ordered the military campaign that expelled Argentine forces from the islands.
During the conflict, British forces also sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano, killing more than 300 Argentine servicemen.
Asked during a press conference whether Milei keeps a photograph of Thatcher in his office, Ravier said the president’s previous comments about the late British leader had been “taken out of context.”
“What he values about Margaret Thatcher has to do with her stabilization plan, lowering inflation and part of her economic ideology,” Ravier said. “This does not invalidate the fact that Milei is trying to recover the Malvinas every day, with great leadership.”
“The Malvinas are clearly Argentine. That is what the president believes,” Ravier added.
Milei has previously said he “admires” Thatcher, calling her “brilliant” and saying he feels “very identified with her in historical terms.”
“There was a war, and we ended up losing. That doesn’t mean you can’t acknowledge that those on the other side were people who did their jobs well. And I don’t just admire Margaret Thatcher — I also admire Ronald Reagan in the United States. So what’s the problem?” he told the BBC in 2024.
The BBC journalist who interviewed him at the time reported seeing a photograph of Thatcher in his office.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Ravier was also asked why the Argentine government had not publicly responded after a British offshore patrol vessel was reportedly detected sailing through waters under Argentine jurisdiction without prior notification to national authorities.
He said Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno would address the matter shortly.
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Editorial disclaimer: Although the UK refers to the territory as the “Falkland Islands,” Argentina strongly contests this name. The Buenos Aires Herald uses “Malvinas” to refer to the islands.