The incident occurred after the final whistle as Barco was celebrating Argentina s victory with his teammates. Bellingham approached the defender and struck him, prompting players from both teams to confront each other. The situation was quickly brought under control, and Bellingham walked away without further escalation.

The exact reason behind the altercation remains unclear. However, reports suggest tensions had been building after Enzo Fernandez s 85th-minute equalizer, when Barco ran onto the pitch and celebrated in front of England s players, a gesture believed to have angered the English midfielder.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson criticized Barco s celebration, describing it as one of the poorest examples of sportsmanship seen during the tournament.

According to reports, FIFA s disciplinary committee could review Bellingham s actions. If found guilty of violent conduct, he could be suspended for England s third-place playoff against France. However, it is believed FIFA may view the incident as an emotional reaction rather than serious violent behavior.

The match itself was highly physical, with 19 fouls committed in the first half. American referee Ismail Elfath struggled to maintain control as tensions remained high throughout the contest.

Earlier in the game, Bellingham was also involved in a brief verbal exchange with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the fourth minute. After the match, the England midfielder said the conversation was simply about a foul and insisted the incident had been exaggerated.

Argentina secured a place in the World Cup final after Lautaro Martinez scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner, while England will now face France in Saturday s third-place playoff.