Argentina players have refused to return the controversial Falkland Islands banner to the fan who smuggled it into the World Cup semi-final against England15:43, 19 Jul 2026Updated 15:44, 19 Jul 2026The Argentine fan who created the controversial Falkland Islands banner is reported to have had a request denied to have it returned to him. England lost 2-1 to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday night, missing out on the opportunity to face Spain in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium.‌There was controversy after the game in Georgia after some members of the Argentina squad unfurled a banner which read: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” which translates to "The Falklands are Argentine" in English.‌Argentina refer to the Falklands as Mavinas, and the unfurling of the banner has led to plenty of backlash across the football and political world.‌The banner has been deemed to be offensive by many, with 255 British soldiers losing their lives during the Falklands War in 1982. The UK Government released a statement in response to the scenes, declaring: "The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are."The banner's creator, identified only as Santiago to protect his identity, has revealed how he managed to deliver the banner to the Argentina players inside the Atlanta stadium.Santiago claims he created the banner using a hotel bedsheet and paint bought from a nearby shop before stuffing it down his trousers to smuggle it inside the ground.‌"When I saw [Gonzalo] Montiel, I threw it to him and he caught it. He passed it to [Giovani] Lo Celso, who was the first to hold it up,” Santiago told Perfil, via the Buenos Aires Times.He continued: "When I saw Lo Celso open it up and his teammates holding it on the pitch, I felt a joy I can't put into words – how could a piece of bedsheet mean so much to every Argentine.”"It was crazy. I never imagined that flag would go around the world because of a silly idea we had in a hotel room," Santiago added.‌JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook pageSantiago is said to have subsequently submitted a request to Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), seeking the return of the banner.‌Yet Santiago was reportedly told that "the boys don't want to give it back."FIFA moved to address the backlash surrounding the banner by announcing an investigation will take place."As is standard procedure, FIFA's independent Disciplinary Committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps," FIFA's statement read.‌Despite this, the White House has insisted the Argentine players were exercising a First Amendment right to freedom of expression when they made their Falklands protest.Argentina are set to face Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday evening, with both sides remaining undefeated throughout all seven of their matches in the competition, including the group stages.Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.Article continues belowContent cannot be displayed without consent