Jude Bellingham appears to ‘slap’ Argentina star following World Cup semifinal

By admin — In News — July 16, 2026

   ​Jude Bellingham appeared to slap Argentina defender Valentin Barco following England’s FIFA World Cup semifinal loss. The incident triggered a flashpoint after the Three Lions surrendered a one-goal advantage to the reigning champions.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs Argentina celebrated at midfield, the Real Madrid star seemed to hit the RC Strasbourg defender, sparking another confrontation in a heated encounter. There were unsightly scenes in Atlanta as Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers had to be pulled away from the scuffle.Barco, an unused substitute in the semifinal, was observed celebrating with his elated teammates when Bellingham appeared to make contact with the full-back’s head. However, there is no indication of what provoked the midfielder’s reaction, as per The Mirror. Meanwhile, back in Argentina, fans were seen burning England flags and Union Jacks on coffins.Who is the referee for the Spain vs France FIFA World Cup semifinal?-Credit:NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThomas Tuchel’s squad had gone ahead after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring, yet England retreated, allowing Argentina to apply pressure. Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez found the net to seal the turnaround and secure their spot in Sunday’s final against Spain.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBBC Sport co-commentator and former England captain Alan Shearer said: “I think the best team won. You can’t complain about that, you’ve got to be open and honest about it, their reaction was magnificent.”They hit the post a couple of times, England got lucky. But how they didn’t panic, stuck to their gameplan, believed in what they were doing, and they did it. The substitutions worked, you have to admire, respect the way they came back into the game.”They deserve to be in the final on Sunday, as much as it hurts me to say.”Tears flowed from the Argentinians after yet another dramatic comeback, having navigated tense encounters with Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland on their way to the final. Lionel Scaloni’s side required extra time to overcome both African nations and utilized their numerical advantage to take down the Swiss.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTo listen to the latest episode of ‘All Out Soccer’ – CLICK HEREEngland attempted to protect their narrow lead as Tuchel shuffled his pack, opting to stifle the defending champions. Argentina countered with a wave of attacking substitutions, and a rapid-fire brace flipped the semifinal on its head.The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss could face scrutiny for choosing a defensive approach with 15 minutes remaining. Wayne Rooney felt England invited the pressure upon themselves and were left to regret the final 25 minutes.He said: “When you’re in a fight, you have to stay on top. We go one-nil up, sit back, make changes and go six at the back, if you allow Messi to come on to you and Argentina, you’re asking for trouble.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt means the Three Lions will comp  

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