Falklands 'will always be Argentine,' says player after England win

Following Argentina's dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, midfielder Leandro Paredes made a pointed statement regarding the Falkland Islands, asserting, "They will always be Argentine." His declaration came as players celebrated on the field, with Giovani Lo Celso having placed a flag referencing the islands in front of the stands.

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They will always be Argentine.

Paredes described the win as an "incredible emotion" and a "unique triumph," acknowledging the immense significance for the nation. "I hope the people are very happy," he told Telefé, expressing the team's desire to bring joy to Argentinians. He added that reaching a World Cup final for the second time felt like a "dream" and that the team was focused on delivering another great performance.

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It is an incredible emotion for everything it generated and I admit knowing that it is something unique.

The emotional weight of the match was palpable. Paredes admitted struggling to process the final moments, stating, "There are no words, in the last minutes I tried to put something in my head to not think about what was happening and I couldn't. The truth is the emotion is very great, the feeling is unique. There is one more step and we will do our best."

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I hope the people are very happy.

Teammate Lisandro Martínez echoed this sentiment, telling TyC Sports, "We couldn't fail the Argentine people." This display, particularly the flag incident, underscored the deep-seated national feelings surrounding the islands, despite coach Lionel Scaloni's earlier attempts to frame the match purely as a sporting event. The players' actions clearly indicated that for them, the game carried additional, profound significance.

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There are no words, in the last minutes I tried to put something in my head to not think about what was happening and I couldn't.