A group of Argentina fans have burned the Union Jack in a video that is ramping up tension before Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against England. Footage shows gleeful supporters setting the flag alight in Escobar, near Buenos Aires, as cheers ring out and bystanders jump up and down chanting: "He who doesn't jump is an Englishman."
The clip was recorded after Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 after extra-time on Saturday night – the same day England booked their place in the last four. The world champions have not faced England since a 2005 friendly, but the history between the two nations extends far beyond football. The Union Jack was used prominently by British soldiers during the Falklands War and still appears on the flag of the Falkland Islands.
“Argentina fans burn Union Jack ahead of World Cup semi-final against England, stoking tensions.”
After the Swiss game, Argentina's players were filmed singing about the Falklands – which they call Las Malvinas – in their dressing room. Chants of "For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo's last one" could be heard. But Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni is determined to keep the focus on football. "The message is this is a football game," he said at a press conference. "We will be playing against a very tough opponent, they have an excellent coach, it is a football game and that is all."
Argentina forward Jose Lopez acknowledged the weight of the occasion. "Obviously, inside and outside the four lines of the pitch it's a match that has a lot of history there, a lot of pain and a lot of things behind it," he said. "I think we are professionals and we're going to play it like we play every game: until the last second, leaving our lives on the field."
The burning video raised eyebrows online, partly because England use the St George's Cross, not the Union Jack. One social media user asked: "Are they that dumb or what?" Another claimed: "Burning the flag of Great Britain thinking it's England's just proves that the biggest enemy of the Argentine isn't the English, it's the geography book."
With Spain already through to the final after beating France 2-0, the winner of Wednesday's semi will face the European champions on Sunday. The match is expected to be a fiery encounter – both on the pitch and in the stands.
