Story behind Messi and Co holding Falklands banner after England win

Argentina seems to have become controversy's favourite child at the FIFA World Cup. Just when one thought the Argentina vs England semi-final couldn't get any spicier after a close 2-1 contest that eventually broke English hearts, the rivalry spilt beyond the touchline. Adding a fresh layer of controversy, Messi and Co held a banner that read 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' - which translates to 'The Falklands are Argentine'. It reignited a decades-old political wound right in the middle of football's biggest stage.

The incident overshadowed Argentina's dramatic late comeback in Atlanta - coming from 1-0 down to win 2-1 in a space of just five minutes - putting them at risk of being banned by FIFA. As the final whistle went off, the Argentinian players were seen celebrating with the banner before leaving it on the field, drawing attention to the longstanding dispute over the Falkland Islands and the 1982 war.

In fact, the Argentina vs England fixture was never supposed to be a friendly kickabout. It has never been. Memories of Argentinian icon Maradona eliminating England from the 1986 World Cup, the 'Hand of God' goal, are still fresh. In fact, the mood had been building right after Argentina's quarter-final win.