Argentina players Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso sparked controversy after displaying a political banner declaring "Las Malvinas Son Argentinas" ("The Falklands are Argentinian") following their 2-1 FIFA World Cup semifinal victory over England.
The pair were seen smiling and waving the banner toward Argentina supporters after the final whistle, reigniting the long-running sovereignty dispute over the South Atlantic islands.
The display has raised questions over FIFA's regulations, which prohibit political messages inside stadiums.
According to FIFA's Stadium Code of Conduct, "banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature" are not permitted inside tournament venues.
FIFA had not publicly commented on the incident at the time of reporting.
Historic dispute resurfaces
The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas, have remained a source of diplomatic tension between Argentina and the United Kingdom for decades.
The two countries fought a 10-week war over the islands in 1982, resulting in the deaths of 649 Argentine and 255 British military personnel.
Britain retained control of the islands following the conflict, and residents have repeatedly voted to remain a British Overseas Territory.
Argentina, however, maintains that it inherited sovereignty over the islands from Spain after gaining independence in 1816 and argues that Britain unlawfully occupied them in 1833.
Not the first political display
The banner appeared shortly after Argentina secured a place in the World Cup final by defeating England 2-1.
It was not immediately clear how the players obtained the banner before displaying it on the pitch.
The incident is the latest example of political symbolism appearing during the tournament.
Last month, Iranian-American supporters displayed pre-revolutionary Iranian flags during Iran's World Cup matches in Los Angeles as a form of protest against Tehran's government. Those matches proceeded without any reported incidents.
Whether FIFA will investigate or take disciplinary action over Argentina's banner remains unclear.
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