Argentina fans boo England's national anthem before World Cup semi-final in Atlanta

Argentina supporters booed England’s national anthem, God Save The King, ahead of the two nations’ World Cup semi-final in Atlanta, drawing a wave of condemnation on social media before a ball had been kicked.

The pre-match ceremony was disrupted when the Argentine contingent in the stadium jeered loudly as the anthem played, prompting England fans in attendance to respond with boos of their own. The incident quickly spread across social media, with users branding the behaviour “disgusting” and a “disgrace”.

“These Argentina fans are disgusting singing out loud and booing the England national anthem. Zero respect,” wrote one user. Another added: “Absolutely disgusting, Argentina fans with no respect for the national anthem. England please thrash them.”

The flashpoint came against a backdrop of deep historical tension between the two countries. The fixture is their first meeting since 2002, when David Beckham’s penalty settled the contest, and the build-up was heavily coloured by the legacy of the 1982 Falklands War. Controversy had already surrounded Argentina’s camp after their players and staff were filmed singing about the Falkland Islands following their quarter-final victory over Switzerland.

England’s anthem was played first, which meant it bore the brunt of the hostile reception from the Argentine end of the stadium. The atmosphere in Atlanta was febrile long before kick-off, with the historical and political context between the two nations ensuring the semi-final dominated headlines from the moment the draw was made.