Buenos Aires, Argentina – Lionel Messi’s farewell to the Argentine national team last Tuesday, the soccer superstar who retired after a 20 years long career, was marked by a symbol deeply tied to the country’s identity and its historic dispute with the United Kingdom over sovereignty of the Malvinas/Falklands, South Sandwich, and South Georgia Islands.
A veteran of the Malvinas/Falklands War sang the Argentine national anthem during Messi’s final match with the national team, a 3-0 victory over Benin at the Monumental Stadium. Beside him lay the banner with the inscription “Las Malvinas son argentinas” (The Malvinas/Falklands are Argentine).
Viewed by millions, the image came at the same time that the South Atlantic islands sovereignty dispute – a long-standing Argentine state policy– turned into the core of President Milei’s strategy in the past months, after he nationwide announced harsher sanctions for companies operating in the Malvinas with illegal licences, and a subsequent legal claim against London at the UNCLOS.
The Malvinas/Falkland’s dispute at Messi’s ‘last tango’
Tickets sold out in Buenos Aires for a chance to witness Messi’s “last tango”, as he concluded his career with the Albiceleste having played 208 matches and scored 126 goals, retiring as the team’s historic leading scorer.
This historic farewell was witnessed by over 85,000 fans in the stadium and attracted a massive audience, reaching a combined peak of nearly 50 rating points only in television, according to official data from Kantar IBOPE Media.”
During the star’s final match with the Argentine team, the emotional tone was set by Fabio Santana, a veteran of the Malvinas War, who interpreted the Argentine national anthem beside a banner bearing the inscription “Las Malvinas son argentinas” (The Malvinas are Argentine).
It was the same banner the players had displayed after eliminating England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals, an act that resulted in a US$10,000 fine for the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Santana was 19 years old when the war between Argentina and the United Kingdom broke out in 1982, claiming the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British. He later became a musician and carried the “Malvinas cause” to his performances, playing sporting events such as the 2011 Davis Cup and matches of the national rugby team (known as “Los Pumas”).
His participation in the farewell for the 39-year-old Messi also carried a powerful emotional weight: as he sang the anthem, both the Argentine soccer superstar and the national team’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, were seen with tears in their eyes.
The scene once again linked Argentine soccer to one of the most memorable episodes in the history of the dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. At the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico – four years after the war – Argentina defeated England 2–0 with two goals from Diego Maradona, including the famous “Hand of God.”
Argentina steps up legal and diplomatic pressure on London
The question over the Malvinas Islands, whose recovery was enshrined in the Argentine Constitution in 1994, has recently moved beyond the realm of sports, together with the latest foreign policy moves by Government.
After maintaining a close relationship with London during the first years of his administration, President Milei hardened the sanctions against companies involved in exploiting natural resources on the islands, citing both international and national law.
According to this, these companies operate under licenses endorsed by London that Argentina considers illegal under UN Resolution 31/49 and national Law 26.659, which address the alteration of the territory in dispute since 1833, when the British expelled by force Argentine governor Luis Vernet and the rest of the inhabitants of the islands.
Today the major point of tension is Sea Lion, an offshore oil exploration project moving forward north of Isla Soledad/East Falkland – located 136 miles from mainland Argentina. The multimillion dollar project, led by the British-Israeli consortium of Rockhopper and Navitas Petroleum, is set to begin extraction in 2027.
Last Monday, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno reaffirmed that British activity regarding the archipelago’s natural resources is illegitimate and stepped up diplomatic and legal pressure by filing a petition under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“To defend Malvinas is a state policy, and we back it up with actions. If London maintains that its activities comply with international law, they will have the opportunity to demonstrate this before a tribunal composed of independent arbitrators,” said Quirno.
Featured image: Lionel Messi’s farewell game with the Argentine national soccer team on October 6, 2026.
Image credit: Inter Miami CF via X.
