Jude Bellingham faces risks of punishment from FIFA after he reportedly smacked Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following his side's semi-final 1-2 loss against the defending World Cup champions on Wednesday, July 15, at the Mercedes‑Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

After the final whistle, the Argentine players and substitutes walked onto the pitch to celebrate, while Jude Bellingham stood around watching.

Barely seconds later, Jude was captured smacking the young lad on the head, after which he retaliated with a push. While some of the Argentina players tried to calm the situation, others tried to fight for the young lad. However, one England player stepped in and took Jude away.

It is not known what prompted the reaction, but footage showed Barco running on the pitch after Enzo Fernandez's 85th-minute equaliser and celebrating in front of the England players.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, commentating on the match for BBC Radio 5 Live, described Barco's actions as "probably the worst example of sportsmanship we've seen at this World Cup".

Bellingham could face action from Fifa's disciplinary committee for violent conduct. Violent conduct in football refers to the use of excessive force or brutality against an opponent, teammate, match official, or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.

According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Code (May 2026 edition), violent conduct is classified as a serious infringement of the Laws of the Game and can lead to suspensions, fines, or extended bans.

Consequently, if the Real Madrid star is found guilty, he is set to miss Saturday's bronze medal match against France in Miami (kick-off 22:00 BST). On the other hand, FIFA may interpret Bellingham's actions as a display of frustration following England's defeat, rather than deliberate violent conduct.

The laws of the game state there is no red-card offence if a player deliberately strikes an opponent on the head and the force used is negligible.

Lautaro Martinez struck deep into stoppage time to hand Argentina a dramatic victory over England, scoring the decisive goal in the second minute of added time to send La Albiceleste into the World Cup final.

The goal shattered England's hopes after Anthony Gordon had put the Three Lions ahead shortly after the restart.

Barco, 21, currently plays for French club Strasbourg after a previous stint with Brighton and Hove Albion. The Argentine defender is reportedly on the verge of completing a move to Chelsea.

The youngster has made just one appearance at the tournament so far, coming off the bench during Argentina's 3-1 victory over Jordan in the group stage.

Wednesday's semi-final in Atlanta was a fiercely contested affair, with referee Ismail Elfath of the United States issuing several interventions as both sides committed a combined 19 fouls during a heated first half.

Bellingham, who has netted six goals at the World Cup, was also involved in an early exchange with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the fourth minute following a challenge on England midfielder Elliot Anderson.

"We were really just discussing a foul, actually," Bellingham is reported to have said after the match. It wasn't anything bad. I'm sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal, but it was nothing," he said.