Fury in England over 'Maradona shirt'

The Argentine Football Association has formally requested FIFA to allow the national team to wear its dark blue away kit instead of the traditional white and sky blue home shirt in the upcoming semi-final against England at the 2026 World Cup. This unusual request stems from Argentina's desire for optimism and to evoke important historical memories, as Argentina has never lost to England when wearing the blue away shirt.

The official Argentine request to FIFA has sparked widespread reactions and significant interest in British media. The Sun newspaper described it as 'a deliberate attempt to revive the ghosts of the past and play on the nerves of England players,' noting that Argentina is seeking 'Maradona’s historical blessing.' Meanwhile, the Daily Mail labeled the request as falling under the superstition and optimism ('Cábala') that Argentines hold sacred, and stated that the current England generation does not care about past stories, focusing only on the pitch. Sky Sports focused on the organizational aspect, explaining that Argentina’s desire to wear the away kit will not affect England’s all-white colors, but adds a dramatic flair to Wednesday’s showdown. Among the most famous matches where Argentina beat England wearing the blue shirt is the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, which featured Diego Maradona’s brace including his controversial handball goal. Argentina will certainly play the match in the away kit as they are the visiting team, necessitating the change since the host team will wear its white home shirt. Notably, the last World Cup meeting between the two sides was in 2002, won by England with a David Beckham goal; Argentina wore its home shirt that day while the Three Lions wore the red away kit. However, before that in the 1998 World Cup round of 16, Argentina won on penalties wearing its blue away shirt.