If you are in the stadium, you will see it. If you are watching on TV, you will hear it.It is the soundtrack whenever Argentina plays football. In the World Cup, in South American qualifying, in the Copa America, in friendly matches. It is there wherever Argentina fans go, regardless of the opposition.“Y ya lo ve, y ya lo ve,” the fans chant, as they bounce up and down, before reaching a crescendo. “El que no salta, Es un ingles!”“And now you see, and now you see, whoever doesn’t jump is English!”This chant is so firmly engrained in Argentina’s football culture it is used to serenade the players after each World Cup win. The players jump and chant it back. After the extra-time quarter-final win over Switzerland on Saturday, Argentina’s players summoned one last surge of energy to jump up and down.When fans added the Argentine folk song Hoy aca en el baile (Today here at the dance) into their repertoire, the adapted lyrics conclude with jumping because they are not English.Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final will be just the third time Argentina has played England in a competitive match since 1986. The two nations have not played since a 2005 friendly. This generation of players has never played against England, where six of Argentina’s squad play their club football.However, anti-English sentiment is a prominent part of Argentina fan and player culture.Why does Argentina sing about the Falklands War?Argentina’s celebrations after defeating Switzerland continued after the final whistle. The national team’s media accounts shared videos inside a buoyant dressing room. One chant, celebrating legendary Argentine footballers Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, the serving team captain, referenced the Falkland Islands.“Por Malvinas, por el Diego, por la ultima de Leo,” the entire squad sings. “For the Malvinas, for Diego, for Leo’s last one (tournament).”
Explained: Argentina’s anti-England chants and why players sing about the Falklands War
The war fought between the two countries in 1982 still figures strongly in chants by Argentina's fans












