England midfielder Jude Bellingham could face disciplinary action from FIFA after appearing to slap Argentina’s Valentín Barco following England’s 2-...
ATLANTA — England midfielder Jude Bellingham could face disciplinary action from FIFA after appearing to slap Argentina’s Valentín Barco following England’s 2-1 defeat in the FIFA World Cup semi-final.
The incident occurred moments after the final whistle as Argentina’s players celebrated their victory, which secured a place in the World Cup final against Spain. Television footage showed Bellingham approach the Argentina players before striking Barco on the back of the head during a brief confrontation.
Barco immediately reacted to the incident before other Argentina players, including Nicolás Otamendi, stepped in as tensions briefly flared between members of both teams. Several England players also became involved before teammates and officials separated the players.
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The altercation came after England’s hopes of reaching the World Cup final ended despite taking the lead through Anthony Gordon. Argentina responded with goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez to complete a comeback and book a place in the final.
Reports indicate that the confrontation was not seen by the match officials during the game. However, video footage circulating after the match could allow FIFA to review the incident under its disciplinary procedures.
Under FIFA regulations, disciplinary action can be taken retrospectively if evidence shows misconduct that was not dealt with by the match officials. Any sanction could range from a fine to a suspension, although FIFA had not announced whether formal proceedings had been opened at the time of publication.
New footage circulating after the match has also shown Barco celebrating Argentina’s equalising goal near England’s players earlier in the match. Some reports suggested the celebration may have contributed to the tension that followed at full-time, although no official explanation has been given for Bellingham’s actions.
The incident overshadowed what had been another strong tournament for Bellingham. The midfielder was one of England’s standout performers at the World Cup and scored six goals, including two against Norway in the quarter-finals to help send England into the last four.
Following the match, Bellingham was also seen speaking with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in what appeared to be a calm exchange after emotions had settled. The discussion was separate from the confrontation involving Barco.
England will now turn their attention to the third-place play-off against France, while Argentina prepares to face Spain in the World Cup final. If FIFA decides to investigate the incident, any disciplinary outcome could affect Bellingham’s availability depending on the timing of the proceedings.
