The story behind the flag displayed by Argentina's national team after beating England

Amidst the euphoria of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup final, the Argentine national soccer team displayed a powerful political statement on the field: a white flag with the black inscription "Las Malvinas son argentinas" (The Malvinas are Argentine).

The image of the flag, unfurled during the team's 2-1 victory celebration over England in Atlanta, quickly went viral globally. However, the story behind the flag began minutes earlier in the stands of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Reports and social media posts have since pieced together its journey.

Photographs from the agency Reuters show the banner held by an Argentine supporter in the stands behind the goal where the team scored its winning goals. Mid-celebration, midfielder Giovani Lo Celso spotted the flag. Without hesitation, he approached the edge of the field, climbed over the advertising boards, and retrieved it. He then returned to his teammates, enlisting Lisandro Martínez to help unfurl it for the thousands of Argentine fans present.

The moment occurred as players and fans chanted, "A minute of silence... for England that is dead." When questioned by journalists after the match about the flag's origin, defender Nicolás Tagliafico admitted he didn't know who had brought it. He linked the gesture to the intense emotion of the victory, stating, "Sometimes you don't need to say things. It's enough to show them. Better to do than to say."

Further details emerged on social media, with one user, @RoquefortEEP, claiming the flag was made the previous night using a hotel bedsheet. This user posted a screenshot accompanied by a video, suggesting that "friends of my brother" had created it. The video reportedly showed an Argentine flag with the AFA crest and an image of Gauchito Gil before revealing the "Malvinas" banner.