The World Cup semifinal against England was seen as a chance for many Argentinians to score a point in the long-running dispute between the two countries. In the run up to Wednesday’s match Vice-President Victoria Villarruel described England as “invaders.”
FIFA has strict rules banning political gestures at matches, including displaying “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” inside stadiums.
Players for top U.K. clubs were amongst those holding the banner, including Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, and Tottenham’s Cristian Romero.
Kyle praised the “dignity” of England’s players, saying that their behavior was “the perfect contrast” to that displayed by the Argentinian team.