Jude Bellingham was caught slapping Argentina midfielder Valentin Barco on the head in the immediate aftermath of England's World Cup semi-final defeat. England missed out on a place in the World Cup final against Spain after throwing away a one-goal lead against Argentina.
Match details
Anthony Gordon put Thomas Tuchel's side ahead in the 55th minute but a second-half collapse saw Enzo Fernandez equalise before Lautaro Martinez sealed Argentina's 2-1 win in the second minute of injury time. In an ill-tempered game in Atlanta which saw 26 fouls, frustrations boiled over after the full-time whistle with Bellingham involved in a confrontation with Barco, who was an unused substitute for Argentina.
The incident
As Barco joined a group hug with Argentina's match-winner Martinez, Bellingham, who was stood nearby, walked over and slapped the 21-year-old on the back of the head. Barco reacted angrily and Bellingham was initially separated by Argentina midfielder Nico Paz before Nicolas Otamendi rushed in and pushed the England midfielder in the chest. England's two reserve goalkeepers, James Trafford and Dean Henderson, then raced in to confront Otamendi. Bellingham was then led away from the confrontation by England striker Ollie Watkins.
Potential sanctions
Bellingham could now face a sanction from FIFA and a potential suspension for England's World Cup third-placed play-off against France this weekend. England will return to Miami for their game against France, which kicks off at 10pm BST on Saturday. According to Diario AS, the incident was captured on video and widely shared on social media, raising the likelihood of disciplinary action.
