Bellingham appears to slap Argentina's Barco in ugly scenes after England's World Cup semi-final exit

Jude Bellingham appeared to slap Argentina defender Valentín Barco at full-time in Atlanta after England were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in a dramatic semi-final, with the defending champions overturning a one-goal deficit to win through Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez.

As Argentina’s players celebrated on the pitch, Bellingham — who had been central to England’s campaign — appeared to strike the Strasbourg full-back’s head. Barco had not featured in the match as an unused substitute and was joining his jubilant teammates when the incident occurred. No explanation for what provoked the Real Madrid midfielder has emerged.

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers was also involved in the flashpoint and had to be separated from the melee, adding to what had been an ill-tempered contest throughout.

England had looked well-placed to reach the final after Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock, but Thomas Tuchel’s side retreated and invited sustained Argentine pressure. Fernández levelled before Martínez converted to complete the comeback, sending Argentina through to Sunday’s final against Spain.

For Argentina, the victory continued a pattern of narrow escapes in this tournament, having previously survived difficult ties against Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland on the road to the final. The emotion at full-time was visible, with several Argentine players in tears after securing their place in the showpiece.

The Bellingham incident is likely to attract scrutiny from FIFA’s disciplinary committee in the coming days, though no immediate action was reported at the final whistle.