Ian Wright criticised by Falklands veterans after England vs Argentina ‘war’ comments

Wright declared the fixture was “not just a game” and stated he had “no love” for the reigning champions.

“It’s a team that we have to beat and it’s going to be a tough one; it’s going to be a real tough one, a real attritional war we’re going into, and we have to recognise that,” he said.

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The pundit also referenced what he termed the “deep rivalry” between the nations, predicting “chaos” both on the pitch and in the stands.

Simon Weston, who suffered severe burns when Argentine forces bombed the RFA Sir Galahad during the 1982 conflict, rejected any comparison between football and warfare.

“Some people describe a footballer as a hero on the field but that’s completely misusing the language,” he told The Telegraph. “They’re footballers. It’s hardly like they’re risking their lives on the pitch. It’s nothing like a battlefield.”

The Welsh veteran also expressed fury at footage showing Argentina supporters setting fire to the Union Flag ahead of this evening’s clash.

“It’s an absolute disgrace but fools often do that sort of thing,” Weston said. “It’s a football game for Christ’s sake. Grow up. It’s a football game. I understand it’s about raising the tension and stakes but this is appalling.”

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Peter Robinson, a Royal Marine who served with 40 Commando during the Falklands campaign, was equally dismissive of Wright’s rhetoric.

“Sport should be sport. Conflicts are conflicts. Never should the two meet. It’s absolutely not a battlefield,” he said.

Robinson, famously photographed during the war with the Union Flag attached to his backpack, offered a blunt assessment of modern football.

“I don’t deal with football. It’s full of prima donnas,” he added.

The veteran suggested Argentine supporters were deliberately invoking the 1982 conflict to antagonise England fans.

“It’s not a friendly rivalry anymore. But they’re always going to cry about the Falklands,” Robinson said. “What’s the song? ‘Don’t cry for me, Argentina’? Well, don’t cry for me, Argentina.”

Weston reserved particular criticism for Argentina’s players, who were captured on video last week celebrating their tournament progress by singing a chant that claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

“This is a sporting fixture and has no bearing or relevance to what happened 44 years ago,” he said. “None of the players were even born. So for them to sing a song about the ‘Malvinas’ is just nonsense. It’s a disgrace.”

The 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina resulted in the deaths of 255 British servicemen, with hundreds more wounded.

Weston confirmed he would be cheering on England this evening despite his frustration at the politicisation of the fixture.

Wright’s mentor was Sydney Pigden, a Second World War RAF Spitfire pilot who served as his primary school teacher.