Seven people were arrested in London as England's World Cup dream died in a 2-1 defeat to Argentina, with clashes also erupting outside the stadium in Atlanta. The defeat, which sparked further controversy, came as new footage emerged suggesting why Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head after the final whistle.
Thomas Tuchel, England's German head coach, now faces questions after the late semi-final collapse. Former England striker Gary Lineker joked that Tuchel is a “German spy” who has “infiltrated” the Three Lions. The Business Secretary, Peter Kyle, has called for an inquiry into Argentina players over a Falklands banner row, saying “FIFA need to really take the action that deserves to happen.”
“Seven arrested in London after England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, with third-place play-off against France ahead.”
England must now face familiar foes France in the third-place play-off – the “Bronze final” – a match previewed with details of kick-off time, TV coverage, team news and head-to-head records. The tournament has been marked by dramatic late goals: BBC Sport has compiled all 11 winning goals scored in stoppage time at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, a video that requires JavaScript to play.
The question now is whether England can salvage pride against France, or whether the fallout from the Argentina defeat will overshadow their final match.