Fans believe they saw Jude Bellingham teasing his England teammate about the goal against Argentina.
Jude Bellingham was seen calling out a teammate after England’s heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals. England had a real chance to reach their first World Cup final in 60 years when Anthony Gordon scored just after half-time to give Thomas Tuchel’s team the lead.
But as many expected, Argentina made a stunning late comeback with goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez. Tuchel’s choice to switch to a five-man defence didn’t work well, as England faced a lot of pressure and eventually lost to a magical Lionel Messi, who also provided two assists.
There was a lot of frustration from England’s side after the match, with many criticizing Tuchel for his tactics and substitutions. However, he wasn’t the only one under fire. Jordan Pickford, who made several important saves, was blamed by some for letting in Fernandez’s equaliser.
Jude Bellingham was seen watching replays of the goal and appeared to angrily shout, “It’s in the middle of the goal.” Former player Gary Neville also criticized Pickford, saying, “It’s not gone in the corner, he’s got to save that. He’s past it.” Neville also mentioned an earlier save Pickford missed, adding, “He’s got to catch that one, it was straight at him.”
On the other hand, Roy Keane defended Pickford and praised Fernandez, saying, “What a strike that is. The keeper can’t get near it; it’s all about the power.”
Pickford had mixed reviews for how he handled the equaliser but was excellent before that, making key saves, including one against Alexis Mac Allister’s close-range header. His job was made harder by Tuchel’s decision to go defensive after Gordon’s goal, leaving England under constant attack from Argentina.
The team paid for going defensive too early, and a shocking stat shows how little England kept the ball in the last 30 minutes. According to Opta, Tuchel’s side had just 12% possession when they were leading 1-0 for half an hour, the lowest in 60 years for a World Cup team in the lead.
Many fans think Tuchel should lose his job after the team’s collapse and poor substitutions, but for now, the FA seems to be sticking with him.