Argentine FA sets July 15 as National Football Teams Day and deposits protest banner in museum
The Argentinian Football Association announced on Wednesday at an executive committee meeting that 15 July will be observed each year as National Football Teams Day, and president Claudio Tapia said the organisation would send the hotel bedsheet bearing the words "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" to the Centro de Veteranos de Guerra Malvinas Argentinas in Tierra del Fuego.
The AFA linked the new commemorative date to the recent match in which their men’s team beat England in the Geopolitics World Cup semi-finals, while online resource daysoftheyear.com is cited in the announcement as listing "over 6,000" commemorative days. Argentina already marks Argentine Footballers' Day on 22 June, the anniversary of the 1986 handball goal that assisted a win over England; the AFA statement also noted Argentina's wider international record, citing 54 men's World Cup match wins, three World Cup titles, 16 Copa América victories and "a couple of Olympic golds," and contrasting that with England's 38 World Cup match wins and the claim that only Brazil and Germany can better Argentina's 54 wins.
Tapia released what he described as "a comprehensive report detailing the achievements of all national teams during his administration." The document lists a range of results that include runners-up finishes in beach football tournaments, success at the 2019 Granatkin tournament — described in the report as a Russian invitational Under-18 event at which the Russians had edged out their own B team on penalties in the semi-finals — and victory in a four-team futsal event in Indonesia, where the report says Argentina overcame the hosts, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Alongside the report, Tapia confirmed the bedsheet that was paraded after the win over England and daubed with "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" will be added to the permanent exhibit at the Centro de Veteranos de Guerra Malvinas Argentinas in Tierra del Fuego.
Separately, the Ugandan football community has been mourning the death of David Owori, who was fatally injured during a robbery in Kampala after resisting an attempt to steal his phone and other belongings; Owori captained Sports Club Villa and represented the national team. The Federation of Uganda Football Associations said: "David was not just a footballer. He was both a leader and an inspiration to a generation. We have lost a son, a leader and a star. His light on and off the pitch will never be forgotten."
An extract from Football Daily reproduces Bridgwater United owner Ian Davis addressing Clevedon Town after Bridgwater's 2-1 win there took them top of the Western League Premier Division. Davis said: "Here we go. Here we go. Firstly, Clevedon, [effing] absolute joke. Money, money, money and can’t do [eff] all because they’re a bunch of mugs. So there’s that one out the window, we’ll get that one out the way first. They’re telling everyone how they’re going to walk this league, bash everybody. ‘We’re gonna do this, we’re gonna do that.’ Yep, alright, well they haven’t done that tonight to Bridgy. No man of the match tonight for Bridgy, but here’s £1,000; Mark, the captain, will take the £1,000. That’s for the man of the match, that’s for the whole team towards the end of the season"
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