Argentina’s vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, sparked controversy ahead of their 2026 World Cup semi-final against England when she invoked the Falklands dispute and described the Three Lions as “pirate usurpers” in a post on X.“Tomorrow we play against the Pirate Usurpers. It’s not just another game. I won’t be politically correct or indifferent. Against England, there is always more. This is the Falklands (Malvinas), this is Diego (Maradona), this is Leo (Messi)’s last game, it’s about the fight against the American invaders. Long live Argentina! Because in Spanish until our last breath we will continue our last game!Villaruel’s comments come as defending champions Argentina prepare to face England in Atlanta on Wednesday (local time) with their place in the World Cup finals at stake. The winner will face Spain, who beat France 2-0 to book a spot in the title race.This game will be a landmark moment for the Argentina captain Lionel MessiHe will face England for the first time in his illustrious international career.Despite representing Argentina for more than two decades and playing against every other World Cup-winning side, Messi has never faced off against the Three Lions.“The truth is, it’s special,” Messi told reporters after the 3-1 quarter-final overtime win over Switzerland.“It’s a special match because it’s my first time. I’ve played against every team except England. As I said before, it’s special because they are a big team, a strong team. It’s always nice to play against a team like this in a match like this, especially in a World Cup semi-final,” he added.The semi-final also featured a rematch of one of international football’s most enduring rivalries. England and Argentina have not met in official competition since 2002 fifa world cupwhen England won 1-0.Argentina advanced to the semi-finals after winning all three games in Group J and defeated Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the knockout rounds. The defending champions have scored nine goals in the three knockout games, the most of any semifinal team.Meanwhile, England advanced with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Norway thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham. The Three Lions earlier beat DR Congo and Mexico by one goal, underlining their resilience to reach a fourth World Cup semi-final.For Messi, the clash offers a chance to complete a rare missing chapter in his international career, while for Argentina and England, another high-stakes encounter intensifies a rivalry shaped by decades of sporting history and political overtones.
