Argentina FA Declare July 15 as National Football Teams Day to Honour World Cup Win Over England
Argentina staged a remarkable comeback to reach its second consecutive World Cup final after trailing England 1-0 until the 85th minute of the semifinal
By : DC Web Desk
Update: 2026-08-06 13:12 GMT
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) on Thursday has unanimously approved July 15 as "National Football Teams Day" to commemorate the Albiceleste's 2-1 victory over England in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Argentina staged a remarkable comeback to reach its second consecutive World Cup final after trailing England 1-0 until the 85th minute of the semifinal.
"The date was chosen to commemorate the Albiceleste's great and historic victory over England in the semi-final of the 2026 World Cup,” the AFA said in statement.
"The team, led by Lionel Scaloni, were trailing the English side by a single goal but, thanks to goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, managed to turn the result around and send the whole country into a frenzy, with people flooding the streets in celebration,” it added.
The victory over England also reignited Argentina's long-standing claim over the Falkland Islands after Argentine players displayed a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" on the pitch after the match. The phrase translates to "The Malvinas are Argentine."
The display was immediately condemned by the UK government and prompted FIFA to open disciplinary proceedings over the banner.
However, Argentina failed to defend its 2022 World Cup title, losing 1-0 to Spain in the final. The match ended in clashes between players from both teams, leading FIFA to open disciplinary proceedings against Argentina players Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina, as well as assistant coach Roberto Ayala for assault.