The conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom is not from today; it's from the 19th century, just like any other dispute between countries, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, India and Pakistan, and more. However, the recent flag showing against the Falklands has once again reignited the unsolved issue between Argentina and the self-governing British Overseas Territory.

Argentina's long-standing claim over the Falkland Islands, known in the country as Las Malvinas, has once again made headlines after the dispute surfaced in the world of football. The controversy has sparked discussions after Lionel Messi and his teammates celebrated their semifinal win over England by holding a banner that reads "Las Malvinas son Argentinas", which translates as "The Falklands are Argentine". The political controversy has erupted after Argentina defeated England 2-1 and reached the FIFA World Cup 2026 final in Atlanta on Thursday, July 16, 2026.

What is the Las Malvinas controversy?

If you look closely at the world map, you will find an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean near Argentina named the Falkland Islands. The islands are a British Overseas Territory, located around 500 kilometres off the coast of Argentina. Argentina refers to the islands as Las Malvinas and has claimed sovereignty over them for nearly two centuries. The United Kingdom has administered the islands since 1833.

The dispute escalated into the 1982 Falklands War, a 10-week conflict between Argentina and the UK. British forces regained control of the islands, but Argentina has continued to maintain that the territory belongs to it.