Britain slams Argentina players for brandishing Falklands flag amid calls for Premier League stars to be denied visas

‘FIFA need to really take the action that deserves to happen,’ says Business Secretary Peter Kyle calling for an inquiry

A Cabinet minister tore into Argentina's players, accusing them of a lack of dignity after their 2-1 win over England in the World Cup semi-final. Business Secretary Peter Kyle also called for an inquiry by FIFA into Argentinian players holding up a banner after the game in Atlanta, Georgia, that read 'Las Malvinas son Argentinas' which translates to 'The Falkland Islands are Argentinian'. Asked what he felt about the incident, Mr Kyle told Times Radio: "You can imagine what I felt.

"This is now a matter for FIFA, and I hope FIFA do a proper inquiry into it." Mr Kyle explained that he is not a football fan. "But boy, did I support this team, and boy, am I proud of this team," he added.

When it comes to the Argentinians, I think the dignity with which our team acted, I think, is the perfect contrast, and really shows really shows you know them for their own behaviour by contrast. "When it comes to the rest of it, FIFA need to really take the action that deserves to happen." Argentina has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and was humiliatingly defeated in a short but bloody war after mounting an invasion in 1982.

The shadow of the conflict hangs over UK-Argentine relations to this day. Veteran political journalist Jon Craig suggested there could be calls from UK politicians for visa action or fines against Argentinian players involved in the "Malvinas" protest. A handful of the Argentinian team play in the Premier League including Manchester United's Lisandro Martínez, Tottenham's Cristian Romero, Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez of Aston Villa, with Enzo Fernández at Chelsea but possibly leaving.

Lisandro Martínez and Giovani Lo Celso held up the banner, grinning, and waved to fans in the stands. Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni had said before the game he did not want the fixture to become about the conflict over the British overseas territory. However, Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel had described England as "invaders" and "usurping pirates" in the build-up to the fixture, and tweeted a victory message at full-time by saying, "it wasn't just another match" alongside a video of what appeared to be Argentinian soldiers.

Earlier, Downing Street flatly rejected a claim by Argentine foreign minister Pablo Quirno that the Falkland islanders are an "artificially implanted" population. The UK is "clear" that people on the archipelago are British and have the "right to determine their own future", No10 said after the intervention from Mr Quirno ahead of England's clash with Argentina on Wednesday. In an essay for La Nacion newspaper, the foreign minister appeared to suggest that a referendum showing support for UK sovereignty was illegitimate because of a population that had been "artificially implanted by the occupying power".

In a 2013 vote the islanders overwhelmingly backed keeping their status as a British overseas territory, but the minister argued that no poll organised "unilaterally" by the UK can have "legal effect", calling instead for negotiations on the Falklands' future. Asked about the intervention on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said: "Well, no. "The Falkland islanders are British with a right to determine their own future.

"The UK's position is clear. "The islanders have repeatedly expressed their wish to remain a British overseas territory, and their right to self-determination is paramount." Asked whether the idea that the population had been planted to deliver that vote was wrong, he said: "Well, I just rejected that.

"As I say, the Falkland islanders are British with the right to determine their own future."