SPORTS: Heated Climate Surrounds Argentina-England Soccer Match

By Marcela Valente Reprint | | Print |

Marcela Valente

BUENOS AIRES, Jun 29 1998 (IPS) - In spite of efforts to downplay political connotations surrounding Tuesday’s World Cup soccer match between Argentina and England, there are fears that bitter memories of the 1982 war over the Malvinas islands will lead to violent incidents between the two countries’ notoriously unruly fans.

“Climate of war…”, “unbearable charge of rivalry…” and “on a wartime footing…” were just some of the phrases employed by the Argentine press Monday referring to the game which will determine which team will continue into the final stretch – and which will go home.

The presence of England’s fearsome hooligans and their Argentine counterparts, the “barrabravas”, led to a stepping up of security in World Cup stadiums in France.

Many local residents of Saint Ettiene, where the match will take place, plan not to step out of their homes Tuesday evening, and a number of businesses have already closed their doors in fear of disturbances.

The media, soccer players and coaches have all been urging fans to leave aside any revanchist desires nursed since 1982, when Argentina launched an aborted invasion of the Malvinas islands – Falklands to members of the Commonwealth – occupied by Great Britain last century.

Argentina’s coach, Daniel Pasarella, stressed that no sovereignty would be defined by the game. Nevertheless, at least some fans seem determined to sharpen their swords.

“The Malvinas Belong to Argentina” reads a t-shirt proudly sported by one of the heads of Argentina’s “barrabravas”, who travelled to France to cheer his national team.

“The war is remembered in the collective spirit, and a morbid pleasure of mixing it with 90 minutes of soccer will not be lacking,” lamented the Monday edition of the Buenos Aires daily ‘Perfil’.

There is also a strong sports rivalry, which for some is mixed up with the vindication of Argentine sovereignty. In soccer there are no colonisers or colonised, and the fantasy of taking vengeance on the occupier seems to be in the minds of more than a few.

Argentine journalist Juan Zuanich, writing in the sports daily ‘Ole’, admitted Monday that “winning against the English has a special savouriness, due to our sports rivalry and the historic rivalry often fed by prejudices.”

“Aside from any political question, facing off with the English makes Argentines put their backs into it,” said Diego Fucks, with ‘Radio Continental’.

Vito Amalfitano, with the daily ‘La Capital’, said “we shouldn’t mix things together, but if culture forms part of national sentiment, and soccer forms part of culture, the rivalry is understandable…It isn’t a question of chauvinism, but winning against the English has a different flavour.”

Some, including most of the English media, date the birth of hostilities back to the 1966 World Cup in England, when Argentine player Antonio Rattin wrung a British flag after being sent off the field.

But the most vivid memory, repeatedly recalled by British TV these days, comes from the 1986 World Cup played in Mexico and won by Argentina, when legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona made a goal against England with his hand, which the referee failed to disallow.

“The Hand of God” – as the goal was dubbed after Maradona’s explanation – eliminated England from the World Cup. Today, 12 years later, the star told the British daily ‘News of the World’ that he was sorry about what happened, and that the goal should never have been computed.

But in spite of his apologies and the efforts of players, coaches and the media to keep things cool, many feel that much more than just classification in the World Cup will be played out in the stadium in Saint Ettiene.