When Argentina and England meet in the World Cup semi-final, they renew one of football's most charged rivalries. The history is long and bitter.
In the 1966 World Cup quarter-final, Argentine captain Antonio Rattin was sent off in a heated match England won. English manager Alf Ramsey called the Argentine players "animals," an insult never forgotten. Twenty years later, the shadow of the 1982 Falklands War loomed over their meeting in Mexico. Diego Maradona's legendary "Hand of God" and "Goal of the Century" knocked England out. For Maradona, it was revenge.
This rivalry has deeper roots. British migrants brought football to Argentina in the 19th century, but the sport evolved differently, fostering a mythology of cunning versus British fair play. The relationship was often seen as quasi-colonial.
Their last World Cup meeting was in 2002. Now, players downplay the history. "It's a soccer match. Period," said Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni. Yet, videos from the locker room show players singing chants referencing the Malvinas and Diego Maradona, revealing the enduring undercurrent.