Argentina's footballers have sparked outrage after they posed with a banner which read "The Falklands are Argentine" before their 2-0 win against Slovenia in a World Cup warm-up match in Buenos Aires yesterday
But despite Argentina's dubious claims on the islands, which have intensified since the ludicrous Kirchner became the country's president in 2007, people on the islands voted by 1,513 to three in favour of remaining British in a referendum last year, which Prime Minister David Cameron said 'could not have sent a clearer message'.
Argentina suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the British in 1982 after it invaded the islands.
The 2014 World Cup - the first World Cup to be hosted by football-mad Brazil since 1950 - kicks off on Thursday, with the hosts (who have won the tournament a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002) playing Croatia in the opening match.
England, who won the tournament in 1966, play Italy in their opening match on Saturday in the jungle city of Manaus whilst Argentina, who won the tournament in 1978 and 1986 (famously beating England 2-1 in the Quarter Finals in the latter when Maradona cheated in an incident known as the "Hand of God"), play Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening match on Sunday in Belo Horizonte.
The two arch-enemies could meet each other at the Semi-Final stage at the earliest. All England manager Roy Hodgson would have to do do spur his players on to victory would remind the lads about that banner.
Argentina players pose with banner proclaiming 'The Falklands are Argentine' before World Cup warm-up match
Banner unfurled before warm-up match against Slovenia in Buenos Aires
Message read 'The Malvinas are Argentinian' in Spanish
The Malvinas are the Spanish name for the Falkland Islands
Appears to support Argentina's claims of sovereignty of the territory
By Jennifer Newton
8 June 2014
Daily Mail
The Argentinian football team has posed with a banner proclaiming the Falkland Islands belong to Argentina before a World Cup warm-up match.
Prior to their game against Slovenia in Buenos Aires which they won 2-0, the banner, bearing the slogan 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas', translated into English as 'The Falklands are Argentinian' was unfurled.
The Malvinas is the Spanish name for the South Atlantic territory, which has had British sovereignty since 1833.
Message: Argentina players up a banner saying 'The Falklands are Argentine' before their clash with Slovenia
The conflict over the disputed archipelago came to a head in 1982 with the Falklands War, which saw a British taskforce sent to islands after an Argentinian invasion.
The war led to the deaths of 255 British military personnel as well as 649 Argentinians.
Argentina has long laid claim to sovereignty of the islands and the message displayed by the team seems to show support for the country's claims.
Since President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner took power in 2007, there have been repeated diplomatic clashes with Britain over the territory.
History isn't her strong point: Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said earlier this year that her nation was 'forcibly stripped' of the Falklands
Earlier this year, she insisted that her nation was ‘forcibly stripped’ of the Falklands in a ‘blatant exercise of 19th century colonialism.’
In April, Argentina also accused Britain of provocative behaviour by planning to carry out military exercises in the Falkland Islands.
Mrs de Kirchner was quoted as saying: 'History shows that colonial enclaves are always recovered.'
But despite the claims, people on the islands voted by 1,513 to three in favour of remaining British in a referendum last year, which Prime Minister David Cameron said 'could not have sent a clearer message'.
A British taskforce was sent to the Falklands in 1982 after Argentina invaded the British territory
The banner was unfurled before Argentina recorded a 2-0 victory against Slovenia in Buenos Aires. Argentina are the second favourites behind mighty Brazil to win the 2014 World Cup which starts on Thursday
The World Cup kicks off in Brazil on Thursday with Argentina's opening match of the tournament coming against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.
Earlier this month it was revealed that at the height of the Falklands crisis, the British government agonised over whether to demand British teams withdraw from the 1982 World Cup in Spain, amid fears they might have had to play Argentina.
England, Scotland and Northern Ireland all qualified for the tournament and papers released by the National Archives at Kew, west London showed that prior to the competition, the government were concerned that playing Argentina would be unacceptable.
Read more: Argentina players pose before World Cup warm-up match with 'The Falklands are Argentine' banner | Mail Online
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But despite Argentina's dubious claims on the islands, which have intensified since the ludicrous Kirchner became the country's president in 2007, people on the islands voted by 1,513 to three in favour of remaining British in a referendum last year, which Prime Minister David Cameron said 'could not have sent a clearer message'.
Argentina suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the British in 1982 after it invaded the islands.
The 2014 World Cup - the first World Cup to be hosted by football-mad Brazil since 1950 - kicks off on Thursday, with the hosts (who have won the tournament a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002) playing Croatia in the opening match.
England, who won the tournament in 1966, play Italy in their opening match on Saturday in the jungle city of Manaus whilst Argentina, who won the tournament in 1978 and 1986 (famously beating England 2-1 in the Quarter Finals in the latter when Maradona cheated in an incident known as the "Hand of God"), play Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening match on Sunday in Belo Horizonte.
The two arch-enemies could meet each other at the Semi-Final stage at the earliest. All England manager Roy Hodgson would have to do do spur his players on to victory would remind the lads about that banner.
Argentina players pose with banner proclaiming 'The Falklands are Argentine' before World Cup warm-up match
Banner unfurled before warm-up match against Slovenia in Buenos Aires
Message read 'The Malvinas are Argentinian' in Spanish
The Malvinas are the Spanish name for the Falkland Islands
Appears to support Argentina's claims of sovereignty of the territory
By Jennifer Newton
8 June 2014
Daily Mail
The Argentinian football team has posed with a banner proclaiming the Falkland Islands belong to Argentina before a World Cup warm-up match.
Prior to their game against Slovenia in Buenos Aires which they won 2-0, the banner, bearing the slogan 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas', translated into English as 'The Falklands are Argentinian' was unfurled.
The Malvinas is the Spanish name for the South Atlantic territory, which has had British sovereignty since 1833.
Message: Argentina players up a banner saying 'The Falklands are Argentine' before their clash with Slovenia
The conflict over the disputed archipelago came to a head in 1982 with the Falklands War, which saw a British taskforce sent to islands after an Argentinian invasion.
The war led to the deaths of 255 British military personnel as well as 649 Argentinians.
Argentina has long laid claim to sovereignty of the islands and the message displayed by the team seems to show support for the country's claims.
Since President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner took power in 2007, there have been repeated diplomatic clashes with Britain over the territory.
History isn't her strong point: Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said earlier this year that her nation was 'forcibly stripped' of the Falklands
Earlier this year, she insisted that her nation was ‘forcibly stripped’ of the Falklands in a ‘blatant exercise of 19th century colonialism.’
In April, Argentina also accused Britain of provocative behaviour by planning to carry out military exercises in the Falkland Islands.
Mrs de Kirchner was quoted as saying: 'History shows that colonial enclaves are always recovered.'
But despite the claims, people on the islands voted by 1,513 to three in favour of remaining British in a referendum last year, which Prime Minister David Cameron said 'could not have sent a clearer message'.
A British taskforce was sent to the Falklands in 1982 after Argentina invaded the British territory
The banner was unfurled before Argentina recorded a 2-0 victory against Slovenia in Buenos Aires. Argentina are the second favourites behind mighty Brazil to win the 2014 World Cup which starts on Thursday
The World Cup kicks off in Brazil on Thursday with Argentina's opening match of the tournament coming against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.
Earlier this month it was revealed that at the height of the Falklands crisis, the British government agonised over whether to demand British teams withdraw from the 1982 World Cup in Spain, amid fears they might have had to play Argentina.
England, Scotland and Northern Ireland all qualified for the tournament and papers released by the National Archives at Kew, west London showed that prior to the competition, the government were concerned that playing Argentina would be unacceptable.
Read more: Argentina players pose before World Cup warm-up match with 'The Falklands are Argentine' banner | Mail Online
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