Argentina footballers pose behind Falklands banner

ARGENTINA’S football team have posed behind a banner claiming that the Falkland Islands belong to the South American country ahead of a World Cup warm-up match in Buenos Aires.

Argentina poses for a picture with a banner reading in Spanish "The Malvinas are Argentine". Picture: AP

The team displayed the message apparently in support of the country’s claims over the sovereignty of the islands in the South Atlantic, which are a British Overseas Territory.

In April Argentina accused Britain of provocative behaviour by planning to carry out military exercises in the Falkland Islands.

Despite repeated diplomatic clashes over the territory since President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner took power in Argentina in 2007, islanders voted by 1,513 to three in favour of remaining British in a referendum last year, which Prime Minister David Cameron said “could not have sent a clearer message”.

Argentina beat Slovenia 2-0, with goals from Lionel Messi and Ricardo Alvarez.