England's World Cup journey ended in defeat to Argentina, and the atmosphere was tense after the final whistle, with Bellingham angrily slapping Valentin Barco on the back of his head.
Footage showed Bellingham seemingly slapping Barco without provocation after England's loss; however, subsequent reports revealed that Barco had deliberately provoked England players multiple times during the match.
Barco was a substitute throughout the match and did not play. However, after Enzo Fernandez equalized the score, he did not celebrate with his teammates. Instead, he rushed in front of the England players to provoke them, which angered the Three Lions players. The referee immediately stepped in to separate him.
The Mirror points out that it is not yet possible to determine whether Bellingham's outburst was triggered by this incident.
The video captured the entire incident: After the final whistle, Bellingham stood aside watching the Argentine team celebrate. He first shook hands with another Argentine player as usual, then looked down for a moment before seeing Barco. He quickly walked up to Barco and slapped him on the back of the head, causing a small commotion. Morgan Rodgers and Bellingham were forcibly pulled apart by bystanders. When several Argentine players rushed forward to block him, England's substitute goalkeeper Dean Henderson stood in the middle to separate the two sides and protect his teammate.
