Following England's 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, midfielder Jude Bellingham was involved in an altercation with Argentina substitute Valentin Barco. Footage showed Bellingham walking over to Barco, who was on the pitch celebrating with teammates, and slapping him on the back of the head. The action prompted a reaction from players on both sides, resulting in a brief scuffle before Bellingham disengaged. The exact cause of Bellingham's reaction remains unclear, though it was noted that Barco had entered the field to celebrate Argentina's 85th-minute equalizer scored by Enzo Fernandez. Argentina secured their victory with a second-half stoppage-time header from Lautaro Martinez, after England had initially taken the lead in the second half through Anthony Gordon's goal. Barco, a 21-year-old player for Strasbourg, had made one prior appearance in the tournament. The match itself was characterized by a physical first half, with 19 fouls called by American referee Ismail Elfath. Earlier in the game, Bellingham also had a discussion with Argentina captain Lionel Messi, which Bellingham later described as a minor disagreement over a foul and not a significant issue.