Bellingham Risks Ban After Slapping Barco Following England's 2-1 Semi-Final Loss
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 16
Bellingham Risks Ban After Slapping Barco Following England's 2-1 Semi-Final Loss
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 16
Summary
Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head after England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat, triggering a brief melee at full-time.
Barco had not played but ran onto the pitch after Enzo Fernandez's 85th-minute equaliser and footage showed him celebrating in front of England's players before the confrontation.
Fifa's disciplinary committee could review the incident for violent conduct, a charge that could sideline the 23-year-old for Saturday's bronze-medal match against France in Miami.
The sanction is not certain because the laws say striking an opponent on the head is not a red-card offence if the force is negligible, making a lesser view of the act possible.
The clash capped an already ill-tempered game in Atlanta, where 19 first-half fouls and a separate early exchange between Bellingham and Lionel Messi underscored the tension.