Buenos aires: The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced Thursday that July 15 will be observed annually as National Football Teams Day to commemorate the national team's 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal victory against England.

According to Anadolu Agency, the decision was made during an Executive Committee meeting at the Ezeiza training ground, where it was unanimously approved to honor the 'great and historic victory' against England in the World Cup semifinal. The AFA's statement highlighted the significance of the match, where Argentina overcame a 1-0 deficit after Anthony Gordon scored for England in the 55th minute. Enzo Fernandez equalized in the 85th minute, and Lautaro Martinez secured the win with a goal in second-half stoppage time, leading Argentina to a 2-1 comeback and into a second consecutive World Cup final.

The victory not only dashed England's hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 but also led to the establishment of National Football Teams Day. The AFA emphasized that the day would celebrate not just the senior team's accomplishments but also those of all Argentine national teams, including youth, men's and women's squads, futsal, beach soccer, and outdoor football teams.

The post-match celebrations, however, were not without controversy. Argentina's players displayed a banner reading 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas,' or 'The Malvinas are Argentine,' which reignited attention on Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands. The gesture drew criticism from the UK, with the British government urging FIFA to investigate potential rule violations by the players. The Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic, remain at the heart of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina, with historical tensions dating back to the 1982 conflict that resulted in significant casualties on both sides.