Argentina's celebrations after their dramatic 2-1 FIFA World Cup semi-final win over England have sparked a political controversy, with the British government urging FIFA to investigate players who displayed a banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
The incident took place in Atlanta on Wednesday, where Argentina overturned a one-goal deficit with two late strikes to book their place in the World Cup final.
After the final whistle, Argentina players held up a banner reading "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" ("The Malvinas are Argentine") while celebrating with supporters.
Defenders Lisandro Martínez and Giovani Lo Celso were seen smiling, waving the banner toward fans in the stands. It remains unclear who brought the fan-made banner into the stadium.
According to FIFA's Stadium Code of Conduct, political, offensive or discriminatory banners, flags, flyers, clothing and other paraphernalia are prohibited inside World Cup venues.
FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether disciplinary action would be taken.
UK govt demands FIFA investigation
The British government quickly condemned the display, calling on FIFA to launch a formal investigation into the incident.
UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle described the players' actions as "entirely inappropriate" and stressed that politics should remain separate from football.
"I'm really proud of our team ... the dignity that they showed, and that was in real contrast to what we saw with the Argentine team last night," Kyle told BBC Radio.
"I really do hope that FIFA do a proper investigation into it."
Under FIFA's disciplinary rules, political, ideological and religious messages are prohibited during official competitions. Violations can result in fines ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.
The governing body has previously punished similar incidents, including banning a South Korean player for two matches after displaying a political message during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Argentine players defend gesture
Argentina players defended the display after the match.
Lisandro Martínez said the banner "stirred up deep emotions," adding that the team was expressing Argentina's longstanding claim over the islands.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes also defended the gesture, saying: "We knew we were playing for them [the veterans], too."
Why Falklands issue remains sensitive
The sovereignty dispute over the South Atlantic islands -- known as the Falkland Islands in Britain and Las Malvinas in Argentina -- has remained one of the most contentious issues between the two countries for decades.
The nations fought a brief but deadly war in 1982, after Argentina invaded the British overseas territory. The conflict claimed the lives of 649 Argentine soldiers and 255 British military personnel, before Britain regained control of the islands.
Most residents of the Falkland Islands have consistently expressed their wish to remain a British Overseas Territory.
Argentina, however, maintains that it inherited sovereignty over the islands from Spain following its independence in 1816 and argues Britain took control in 1833 through what it considers an illegal colonial act.
This is not the first politically sensitive incident during the current FIFA World Cup.
Last month, Iranian-American fans attending Iran's matches in Los Angeles waved pre-revolutionary Iranian flags, widely regarded as symbols of opposition to Tehran's government. Those matches, however, proceeded without any reported incidents.
