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England fan fury at FIFA ‘hypocrisy’ after shipyard worker’s submarine flag is banned from World Cup stadiums – while Argentina players dance with ‘Falkland’s are ours’ banner
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37'
Yellow card Elliot ANDERSON (England) is booked by
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42'
Yellow card Lisandro MARTINEZ (Argentina) is booked by
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51'
Yellow card Cristian ROMERO (Argentina) is booked by
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55'
Goal Anthony GORDON (England) scores!!
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85'
Goal Enzo FERNANDEZ (Argentina) scores!!
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90'+2'
Goal Lautaro MARTINEZ (Argentina) scores!!
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90'+4'
Yellow card Rodrigo DE PAUL (Argentina) is booked
England squad
- Selected
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1 Jordan PICKFORD Goalkeeper
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4 Declan RICE Midfielder
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5 John STONES Defender
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6 Marc GUEHI Defender
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8 Elliot ANDERSON Midfielder
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9 Harry KANE C Forward
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10 Jude BELLINGHAM Midfielder
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17 Morgan ROGERS Midfielder
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18 Anthony GORDON Forward
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24 Reece JAMES Defender
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25 Djed SPENCE Defender
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2 Ezri KONSA Defender
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3 Nico OREILLY Defender
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7 Bukayo SAKA Forward
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11 Marcus RASHFORD Forward
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12 Trevoh CHALOBAH Defender
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13 Dean Henderson Goalkeeper
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14 Jordan HENDERSON Midfielder
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15 Dan BURN Defender
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16 Kobbie MAINOO Midfielder
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19 Ollie WATKINS Forward
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20 Noni MADUEKE Forward
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21 Eberechi EZE Midfielder
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22 Ivan TONEY Forward
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23 James TRAFFORD Goalkeeper
- Full squad
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26 Jarell QUANSAH Defender
Argentina squad
- Selected
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3 Nicolas TAGLIAFICO Defender
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5 Leandro PAREDES Midfielder
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6 Lisandro MARTINEZ Defender
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9 Julian ALVAREZ Forward
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10 Lionel MESSI C Forward
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13 Cristian ROMERO Defender
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17 Giuliano SIMEONE Forward
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20 Alexis MAC ALLISTER Midfielder
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23 Emiliano MARTINEZ Goalkeeper
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24 Enzo FERNANDEZ Midfielder
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26 Nahuel MOLINA Defender
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1 Juan MUSSO Goalkeeper
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2 Marcos SENESI Defender
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4 Gonzalo MONTIEL Defender
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7 Rodrigo DE PAUL Midfielder
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8 Valentin BARCO Midfielder
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11 Giovani Lo Celso Midfielder
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12 Geronimo RULLI Goalkeeper
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14 Exequiel PALACIOS Midfielder
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15 Nico GONZALEZ Midfielder
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16 Thiago ALMADA Forward
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18 Nico PAZ Forward
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19 Nicolas OTAMENDI Defender
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21 Jose Manuel LOPEZ Forward
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22 Lautaro MARTINEZ Forward
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25 Facundo MEDINA Defender
England supporters have accused FIFA of "hypocrisy" after a shipyard worker's submarine flag was banned from World Cup stadiums, while Argentina players were pictured celebrating their side's semi-final win over England by dancing with a banner declaring "the Falklands are ours". The row has added a political edge to an already ill-tempered exit from the tournament, with fans questioning why one form of symbolism was prohibited by organisers while another was allowed to be displayed on the pitch.
The controversy followed a bruising semi-final defeat in which Argentina eliminated England, sparking ugly scenes including Jude Bellingham appearing to slap Argentina's Valentin Barco during celebrations and a Piccadilly Circus incident in which a TikTok prankster in an Argentina shirt had to be rescued by police from a crowd of England fans. Manager Thomas Tuchel has faced heavy criticism, including from Wayne Rooney, over substitutions made during the match, with commentators arguing England's late collapse was self-inflicted rather than forced by Argentina.
In short
- England fans call FIFA hypocritical over banned submarine flag
- Argentina players waved "Falklands are ours" banner post-match
- Ugly scenes followed, including a Bellingham slap and street violence
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
England supporters and observers contend that FIFA applied its rules inconsistently, banning a shipyard worker's submarine flag whilst permitting Argentina players to celebrate with a politically charged banner asserting sovereignty over the Falklands. They argue that either political and territorial symbolism should be prohibited universally or allowed across the board; selective enforcement appears arbitrary and biased, particularly when the Argentine banner invokes a sensitive bilateral dispute and was displayed immediately after England's elimination from the tournament.
The case against
FIFA's officials might counter that the incidents involved fundamentally different contexts requiring distinct handling. Spectator items are subject to entry screening and restrictions on controversial imagery, whilst player celebrations and expressions during matches operate under separate governance frameworks. The Argentina banner represents post-match national sentiment and celebration rather than prohibited political activism, and controlling stadium access necessarily differs from governing player behaviour during competition. The submarine flag and Falklands banner, in this view, occupy sufficiently different regulatory spheres to justify differentiated treatment without hypocrisy.
Explained simply
The Falkland Islands are a British territory in the South Atlantic that Argentina also claims as its own. The dispute over who should rule the islands has been a major source of tension between the two countries for decades, and has occasionally led to armed conflict.
England and Argentina met in the World Cup semi-final, with Argentina winning the match. After their victory, Argentina's players posed for pictures with a banner reading "the Falklands are ours", expressing their political claim to the islands.
England supporters have complained about how FIFA enforced its rules during the tournament. It had banned a supporter's submarine flag from the stadiums, but allowed Argentina's players to display their political banner, leading fans to question whether the rules were applied equally to both sides.