White House official defends Argentina’s use of Falklands banner

However, it was what unfolded after the final whistle during La Albiceleste's celebrations that quickly sparked controversy and drew widespread attention.

During a White House FIFA World Cup press conference, Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris asked whether the United States believed Argentina's players had acted inappropriately by displaying a political message inside a World Cup stadium.

The inflammatory comments come in the wake of a furious international row sparked by the Argentine football team's controversial banner stunt during their World Cup clash with England.

Following Argentina's 2-1 win in a tense semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, several players held up a banner reading "Las Malvinas son Argentinas," using Argentina's own term for the disputed South Atlantic islands.