Rooney brands Paredes 'ridiculous' after Argentina star tries to get Kane sent off

Wayne Rooney labelled Argentina’s Leandro Paredes “ridiculous” after BBC One aired previously unseen footage showing the midfielder attempting to get England captain Harry Kane sent off during their World Cup semi-final.

The footage, shown at half-time of the match, captured Kane covering his mouth while speaking to referee Ismail Elfath — a gesture Paredes immediately flagged to the official in an apparent bid to have Kane carded.

BBC presenter Mark Chapman explained the incident to viewers: “The rules are that if you put your hand over your mouth and say something to another player. It looked like he was saying it to the referee.”

Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart was unsparing in his assessment of Paredes, calling the attempt “pathetic”. Hart argued that Kane was simply trying to communicate clearly with the official in a noisy stadium environment.

“Harry Kane is just trying to have a personal conversation with the referee,” Hart said. “I get it, of course, they’re going to do anything they can to try and win this game. But come on, just win the game by scoring more goals.”

Rooney, also part of the BBC’s punditry team, was equally dismissive. “I think it’s ridiculous,” he said, echoing the frustration expressed by Hart.

The incident added another layer of controversy to an already febrile contest, with the half-time footage prompting a sharp reaction from England’s former players on the broadcast panel.