Messi’s Argentina farewell reignites Falklands dispute in England

Lionel Messi’s final appearance for Argentina has provoked anger in the English press after supporters used the occasion to promote their country’s claim to the Falkland Islands.

Messi played his last match for Argentina in the early hours of Wednesday, helping his side to a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin by scoring once and providing two assists.

The emotional farewell took place at the 85,000-capacity Monumental Stadium, the largest stadium in South America. While many supporters wore plastic masks depicting Messi and gathered to celebrate one of football’s greatest players, some used the occasion to highlight the long-running sovereignty dispute between Argentina and Britain.

One banner read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” – “The Falkland Islands are Argentine” – while another displayed an outline of the islands coloured in the blue and white of the Argentine flag.

The Daily Mail described the match as “a publicity display for the Falkland Islands”, reporting that Messi embraced a veteran wearing a “Malvinas” flag.

The newspaper said the former footballer “winked” as he greeted Fabio Santana, who sang the national anthem before Argentina’s final match against Benin. Santana served with Argentina during the Falklands War and had wrapped himself in a flag bearing the Spanish words: “The Falklands are ours.”

Messi was visibly affected as he stood with his three sons and was unable to sing the anthem while Santana performed it loudly. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni was also shown with a tear running down his cheek.

The Falklands dispute became a prominent talking point during the World Cup after Argentina’s players claimed the islands belonged to their country rather than Britain following their semi-final victory over England.

Argentina president Javier Milei has also reinforced that message, saying in September that his country needed to recover the islands.

The latest controversy follows Argentina’s World Cup semi-final win over England and a similar display by Argentina’s rugby supporters during a match against South Africa in August.

Following the football victory, Argentina’s players used the moment to reaffirm their claim to the Falkland Islands, a British self-governing overseas territory in the South Atlantic, around 300 miles east of Argentina.

Britain has governed the Falkland Islands since January 1833. The islands were disputed by the two countries in 1982, when the Falklands War took place.

In a 2013 referendum, 99.8% of residents voted to remain under British sovereignty. Despite that result, the issue continues to carry political significance in Argentina and has now featured prominently during Messi’s international farewell.