Claudio Tapia says Argentina already won the World Cup the moment they eliminated England, then made a holiday for the final his team lost

The Argentina Football Association has officially approved July 15 as National Football Teams Day to commemorate the victory over England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal. According to ESPN, this decision follows a dramatic match where the team trailed 1-0 until the 85th minute, eventually securing a 2-1 win through goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez.

AFA president Claudio Tapia provided some insight into the mindset behind this decision during the recent AFA Sponsor Day. He stated, “I know that for Argentinians, we won the World Cup the moment we beat England, because that’s really what everyone wanted.” Tapia further explained his perspective on Wednesday, noting, “We are proud of our national teams performance, and of the fact that they created that sense of epic invincibility, that nobody could beat us.”

The victory itself triggered nationwide celebrations, with fans flooding the streets in a frenzy. However, the match also carried heavy political undertones that reached far beyond the pitch. Following the win, the players displayed a banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” to assert their claim over the Falkland Islands.

The Falklands Banner Sparked International Backlash

This gesture caused significant uproar in England, and the UK government eventually called on FIFA to investigate the incident. The intensity of the situation was compounded by the fact that the islands are located roughly 8,000 miles from Great Britain and 300 miles from the Argentina mainland. President Javier Milei weighed in on the controversy, describing the players’ use of the banner as perfectly valid.

He noted that the message reflects a sentiment shared by all Argentinians, though he acknowledged he expected FIFA to sanction the team with a fine. The political implications have continued to ripple outward, as even domestic clubs are getting involved. For instance, the club Almirante Brown recently debuted a new jersey featuring the same sovereignty slogan during a second division game.

The episode has also drawn attention from unexpected corners of the football world, including an unverified social media stir around Cristiano Ronaldo, whose activity on the platform prompted online speculation, though he has not made any public statement on the matter himself. The situation grew even more complicated following the World Cup final against Spain.

The match concluded with violent clashes between the two sets of players, leading FIFA to open disciplinary proceedings against Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala. These proceedings involve allegations of assault. Additionally, the AFA is facing investigations regarding the political references made after the semifinal, as well as allegations of racist abuse and inappropriate chanting.

The AFA released a statement following its council executive meeting on Wednesday to formalize the new holiday. The statement noted, “The date was chosen to commemorate the Albiceleste’s great and historic victory over England in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup.” It also described how the team managed to turn the result around to send the country into celebration.