Argentine vice-president slams England: "Usurping pirates! Invaders!"

While England are dealing with their internal problems, some people in Argentina are keen on reminding everyone that tonight's clash against England in the World Cup semi-finals is "something more".

The Three Lions seem more focused on their own issues, as their captain, Harry Kane - on behalf of the entire team - ripped into the English media, accusing them of trying to drive a wedge between the players and the manager Thomas Tuchel, whereas the Argentinian side seemed determined to lower the temperature ahead of the blockbuster game.

Kane hits back at English media: "They're trying to create division in the England camp"

At least, that was the impression after the Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni's speech at the pre-match press conference.

"It's a football match; I can't mix things up, out of respect for what happened so many years ago."

"It was a very sad time in our history, and there isn't much we can do about it. Mixing the two would be madness. We criticise that there was war."

"Of course people remember history and what happened. It is a game of football, we need to keep things separate."

"Yes, we remember Argentinian people and people that were lost in the war, but let's not conflate things."

"What do the players of today have to do with many, many years ago?" the tactician said via ESPN.

However, his wise words were quickly overshadowed by yet another case of politics spilling into sports.

Trump call, FIFA U-turn, and global outrage: Balogun red card reversal sparks World Cup scandal

The examples of US President Donald Trump (Folarin Balogun's overturned red card) and the Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla (racist tirade against Kylian Mbappe) have shown that such interference can bring nothing good. Still, some people never learn...

Victoria Villarruel, the Argentine vice-president, apparently opted for a different approach than Scaloni, determined to remind everyone - and especially her compatriots - of the Falklands (Malvines) War and who Lionel Messi and Co. are actually facing tonight.

"A colonized Cameroonian, pretending to be French, arrogant and ugly"

It's safe to say that she didn't mince her words.

"Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates."

"This isn't just another match. I'm not going to be politically correct or cold-hearted; against the English, it's always something more."

"It's the Malvinas, it's Diego, it's Leo's last one, and it's putting the brakes on the invaders. Go Argentina! Because until our last breath, we're going to claim what's ours!" Villarruel wrote on X.

And even though incidents like this one should be condemned, this one is best left ignored - by the public, the players, and everyone involved. Because messages like this one can only fuel negativity and do nothing to help the situation.

Let's hope the protagonists of tonight's match focus only on the pitch and deliver a great spectacle for billions of football fans worldwide.

That's what sport is all about.

WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE

Semi-finals

Tuesday

France - Spain 0-2 (0-1)

/Oyarzabal 22 pen, Porro 58/

Wednesday

22.00: (2.55) England (3.10) Argentina (3.15)

***odds are subject to change***