Security tightens for politically charged Argentina-England semi-final
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has urged the separation of sport and state politics ahead of a heavily secured World Cup semi-final against England, a match freighted with the historical baggage of the Falklands War.
Argentina and England will meet in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday. The match pitches the defending champions against an English side seeking their first final appearance since 1966.
Speaking ahead of the game, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said he was "not going to mix" football and politics. "The reality is that this is a football match. I can't mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago," he said.
The fixture carries significant geopolitical weight. Britain and Argentina fought the 74-day Falklands War in 1982, a conflict that killed 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British combatants and three civilians. The sovereignty of the British overseas territory, known as Las Malvinas in Argentina, remains disputed.
These historical tensions have spilled into the current tournament. After Argentina's 3-2 last-16 win over Egypt, players were filmed singing a chant referencing the disputed islands. Authorities will implement increased security measures in Atlanta for the semi-final as a result.
Scaloni acknowledged the historical weight but maintained a strict boundary. "It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn't much we can do about it," he said.
The sporting stakes are equally high. Thirty-nine-year-old Lionel Messi, who has scored a joint-tournament high eight goals, will face England for the first time in his career. He is set to go up against an English attack led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who have both scored six goals.
Despite Messi's individual output, Argentina have struggled collectively. Scaloni's side needed extra time to beat Cape Verde in the last 32 and 10-man Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
"A month-and-a-half ago I would have taken getting to the semi-final if you had offered me that, so I don't mind how we got here," Scaloni said. "Whether we are tired or not I don't care. This is a World Cup semi-final."
