Political tensions are boiling between Argentina and the UK after last night’s World Cup match.
The South American country, which emerged victorious and wiped out England’s chances of reaching the tournament’s final on Sunday, accused a Royal Navy ship of a ‘military incursion’ into its waters.
The HMS Medway is a patrol vessel normally based in the Falkland Islands, used to patrol and protect fisheries.
Buenos Aires maintains its claim to the Falkland Islands – about 8,000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from mainland Argentina – despite military defeat.
The country’s football team even held up a banner after the match, saying ‘The Falklands are Argentine’.
In an official statement shared on X hours after the match, Argentinian foreign minister Pablo Quirno said the country expressed a ‘strong rejection’ of the ship’s movements.
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Foreign Minister Quirino wrote in the statement: ‘The Argentine Government firmly rejects this British military incursion into areas under Argentine jurisdiction.
‘The Argentine Republic once again reaffirms what it considers its legitimate and inalienable sovereign rights over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime areas.
‘By history, by law, and by conviction, the Malvinas are Argentine.’
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni had said before the game that he did not want the fixture to become focused on conflict over the territory.
But the country’s vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, tweeted a victory message at full-time, saying ‘it wasn’t just another match’ alongside a video of what appeared to be Argentinian soldiers.
In the build-up to the fixture, she had described England as ‘invaders’ and ‘usurping pirates’.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote on X: ‘The Falkland Islands are British. The Conservatives will always defend them.’
Fifa has also faced calls to investigate the Argentinian team over the banner, with some demanding they be banned from the final.
Fights broke out outside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta following the match on Wednesday, with police seen taking at least three people away.
The Atlanta Police Department deployed extra resources around the city, with officers lining the streets outside bars near the stadium after the crunch clash.
England fans were devastated as their hopes that their team could end 60 years of World Cup hurt were dashed when the defending champions beat them 2-1.
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