The Argentina Football Association has declared that July 15 will be ‘National Football Teams Day’ to commemorate Argentina’s 2026 World Cup semi-final win against England on this date.
In a nerve-wracking match in Atlanta, England scored first in their first World Cup final since 1966 with a 55th-minute goal from Anthony Gordon.
Yet, with Thomas Tuchel’s team defending compactly, Argentina scored in the 85th and 92nd minutes to shatter English hopes and secure a 2-1 victory.
The triumph arrived 40 years after Argentina’s last significant World Cup success against England in the contentious quarter-final win during the 1986 tournament.
Following Argentina’s recent victory, the political tensions related to the match intensified as some players celebrated with a banner stating “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” meaning “The Falklands are Argentine.”
The Falklands, a British Overseas Territory located in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, continue to be at the center of a sovereignty conflict between the UK and Argentina.
In 1982, Argentina, governed then by a military junta under General Leopoldo Galtieri, launched an invasion of the islands located 300 miles from Argentina’s eastern coast.
The conflict, occurring over 74 days from April to June 1982, resulted in the deaths of 655 Argentine and 255 British military personnel. Three individuals from the islands also passed away.
In a referendum held in 2013, 99.8% of the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands chose to stay a UK territory.
Argentina ultimately fell 1-0 to Spain in the 2026 championship, whereas England triumphed over France 6-4 to secure third place.
