For England, Argentina’s World Cup did not end with the defeat against Spain. The controversy had already begun after the semi-final, when members of the Argentine squad displayed a banner declaring that the Falkland Islands belonged to Argentina.
The gesture prompted an angry response from the British government and a demand for FIFA to investigate a political message displayed during a football tournament. Days later, Argentine players and staff were involved in confrontations after losing the final, yet Gianni Infantino still sent a letter praising the team’s “professionalism”.
That contrast has made an otherwise routine congratulatory message particularly difficult to understand from an English perspective. FIFA was facing questions about Argentina’s behaviour both before and after the final, while its president was publicly applauding the same delegation.
England had already asked FIFA to act
Argentina defeated England in the World Cup semi-final before several players posed with a banner reading: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas.” The message referred to the Falkland Islands, whose sovereignty remains disputed by Argentina but which are a British Overseas Territory.
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According to The Associated Press’ report on the British response, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer replied: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are.” The British government also called on FIFA to examine whether the banner breached rules prohibiting political messages.
FIFA did not immediately announce a sanction. That lack of clarity became more striking when Argentina was involved in another controversy after the final against Spain.
The governing body was therefore dealing with two separate questions surrounding the same team. One concerned a political provocation aimed directly at Britain, while the other involved physical confrontations on the pitch.
Infantino chose to praise the team
The letter sent to Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia was later published by the federation. It was not a traditional leak, despite being described that way by several international outlets.
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According to UNILAD’s report on the correspondence, Infantino congratulated Lionel Scaloni, his players, the coaching staff and Argentina’s supporters. He also claimed the team had contributed significantly to the success of the tournament.
“The magnificent performance of the Albiceleste also contributed decisively to making this edition an exceptional event that captivated millions of football enthusiasts around the world,” Infantino wrote.
The most controversial line came later. “These victories are always the fruit of constant work, professionalism and attention to detail, but also of passion, commitment and love for this wonderful sport,” the FIFA president added.
The final ended in more controversy
Spain won the final 1-0 after extra time through Ferran Torres. The match was followed by a series of confrontations involving Argentine players, members of the coaching staff and their Spanish opponents.
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Leandro Paredes became involved with Gavi and Eric García, while Nahuel Molina appeared to strike Spain captain Rodri around the stomach. Argentina assistant Roberto Ayala was also filmed making contact with Dani Olmo near the throat.
According to an Associated Press report published by Al Jazeera, FIFA appointed a disciplinary prosecutor to examine the incidents. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called the scenes “intolerable and unacceptable”.
“I want to highlight our behaviour in the face of that kind of aggression and provocation,” De la Fuente said. “Our players always kept their composure and behaved like true professionals.”
Ayala admitted he had crossed the line
Ayala later apologised for the confrontation with Olmo but disputed the suggestion that he had thrown a punch. He described the incident as a push and said he had initially entered the situation to separate players.
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As quoted by beIN Sports in its account of the apology, Ayala said: “It was more of a push than anything else, it wasn’t a punch as they want to claim.”
He nevertheless accepted that his position required a higher standard. “That is no excuse. Given the position I hold, my behaviour has to be different, no matter what I receive,” he said.
For English supporters, the issue is therefore wider than the scenes after the final. FIFA had already been asked to respond to a direct political provocation after England’s elimination, yet Infantino’s letter contained no reference to either controversy.
FIFA’s two very different messages
It is normal for a FIFA president to congratulate teams that win medals at a World Cup. Argentina had reached a second successive final and remained one of the tournament’s most important attractions.
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The problem lies in the wording and timing. Infantino praised the delegation’s professionalism while FIFA was still considering whether its political and physical conduct required disciplinary action.
For England, that creates an uncomfortable impression. The governing body appeared much quicker to congratulate Argentina than to explain whether its own rules had been broken.
