Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has urged his players to focus purely on the football when they face England in the World Cup semi-finals. The build-up to the fixture has reopened old wounds on both sides, with the Falkland Islands becoming a topic of conversation. Earlier in the tournament, Argentina players were filmed chanting about the islands following their victory over Egypt.
The two countries famously went to war in 1982, when Argentina invaded the Falklands over a long-standing sovereignty claim. They were quickly defeated by British forces, who successfully recaptured the islands in just 10 weeks and forced Argentina to surrender. Four decades later, many Argentinians still believe they should control the Falklands despite its population being overwhemingly in favour of remaining a British Overseas Territory.
