The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced on Wednesday that July 15 will be designated as National Football Teams Day.
The decision was taken at the latest AFA Executive Committee meeting, where it was unanimously approved by the presidents of Argentine football clubs.
“The date was chosen as a tribute to the historic Albiceleste win against England at the 2026 World Cup semifinal,” reads the announcement, which goes on to highlight how the team led by head coach Lionel Scaloni “made the whole country rejoice and filled the streets with celebrations.”
The AFA goes on to add the festive day is not intended merely as a celebration of that win, but of the work put out every day by every national team, youth, men’s, women’s, futsal, beach soccer, and outdoor soccer.
The news proved controversial in the U.K., with users at X commenting that Argentina was forced to do that “because they’re shit at war,” or saying the U.K. celebrates “600 dead and reclaiming the Falklands.”
A match for the ages
Argentina’s win over England proved one of the best matches of the tournament at the 2026 World Cup. In a grueling, hard-fought game, a defensive lapse in the 55th minute put Argentina behind.
The Albiceleste went all out to secure a comeback win, with former River Plate star Enzo Fernández scoring with a long-range shot in the 85th minute and striker Lautaro Martínez heading in the winner from a Lionel Messi cross in the 92nd.
The win proved highly emotional for the Argentine players and staff, despite attempts at lowering tensions ahead of the game.
“Since the first time my dad got me a pair of boots, I dreamed of scoring this goal,” said Martínez, who struggled to hold off the tears. “I want to dedicate it to my mom too, who never stopped looking after me even when I left [home town Bahía Blanca] to play for [Buenos Aires-based club] Racing.”
The players were later seen celebrating with a flag bearing the message “Las Malvinas son argentinas” (the Malvinas are Argentine), a reclamation of Argentina’s sovereignty over the islands, which are in dispute with the United Kingdom.
The players confirmed after the game that they didn’t produce the flag, but that someone in the stands threw it onto the pitch. Later, versions of the flag painted on a hotel sheet by a fan and smuggled onto the pitch went viral.
It proved highly controversial, with members of the U.K. government calling for an investigation by world football’s governing body FIFA.
On July 29, FIFA announced it would open disciplinary proceedings against the AFA and several Albiceleste players over the events of that match and the final against Spain.
Editorial disclaimer: Although the UK refers to the territory as the “Falkland Islands,” Argentina strongly contests this name. The Buenos Aires Herald uses “Malvinas” to refer to the islands.
