Argentina fans burn Union Jack before England semi-final, unaware it is the wrong flag

A group of Argentina supporters burned a Union Jack flag on the eve of Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against England in Atlanta, only to be widely ridiculed online for choosing the wrong flag — England fly the St George’s Cross, not the Union Jack.

The footage, believed to have been filmed in Escobar on the outskirts of Buenos Aires following Argentina’s 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland on Saturday, shows a crowd cheering as the flames take hold, with onlookers chanting: “He who doesn’t jump is an Englishman.” Social media users were quick to point out the error. “Burning the flag of Great Britain thinking it’s England’s just proves that the biggest enemy of the Argentine isn’t the English, it’s the geography book,” one user wrote.

The incident adds another layer of tension to a fixture already classified as the “highest risk” match of the tournament by the FBI, local officials, and police. England and Argentina have not met at a World Cup since 2002, when David Beckham’s penalty settled the tie, and have not faced each other at all since a 2005 friendly.

The historical weight of the contest extends well beyond football. The Union Jack carries particular significance in Argentina as a symbol associated with British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains part of the current flag of the Falkland Islands. Following their win over Switzerland, Argentina’s players were filmed in their dressing room singing about Las Malvinas — “For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona], for Leo’s [Lionel Messi] last one.”

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, however, is urging his squad to set aside the broader narrative. “The message is this is a football game,” Scaloni said at a press conference. “We will be playing against a very tough opponent, they have an excellent coach, it is a football game and that is all.”

Forward Jose Lopez acknowledged the emotional stakes while echoing his manager’s focus. “Inside and outside the four lines of the pitch it’s a match that has a lot of history, a lot of pain,” he said.

Thomas Tuchel’s England side are aiming to end Argentina’s bid to retain the World Cup title when the two nations meet in Atlanta on Wednesday.