The Argentine Football Association has designated 15 July as National Football Teams Day, commemorating Argentina’s 2026 World Cup semi-final victory over England on that date.
England, chasing a first World Cup final since 1966, went ahead in Atlanta through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute. With Thomas Tuchel’s side dropping deep late on, Argentina struck in the 85th and 92nd minutes to seal a 2-1 comeback win.
The result arrived 40 years after Argentina’s famous 1986 quarter-final triumph over England. Political tensions resurfaced after the latest meeting when some Argentina players celebrated with a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”).
The Falklands, a British Overseas Territory in the south-west Atlantic, are the subject of a long-standing sovereignty dispute. Argentina, then ruled by a military junta under General Leopoldo Galtieri, invaded the islands in 1982. The 74-day conflict from April to June that year left 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen dead, along with three islanders. In a 2013 referendum, 99.8% of Falkland Islanders voted to remain a UK territory.
Argentina later lost the 2026 World Cup final 1-0 to Spain, while England beat France 6-4 to finish third.