Michael Owen criticized Thomas Tuchel for his tactics in England’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semifinals last night, saying Tuchel shouldn’t have taken his foot off the gas pedal late in the match.

England went up 1-0 early in the second half after Anthony Gordon scored off Morgan Rogers’ sumptuous cross. However, just like in their comeback win against Egypt in the Round of 16, Argentina manufactured two late goals, courtesy of Lionel Messi, to snatch the victory.

“Watch Spain at 1-0 last night. That’s courage. That’s bravery. And then watch England at 1-0. What’s the difference? We are a better team than Argentina, I’ve no doubt in my mind. But we deserved to get beat in the end. In fact, it could have been 4-1,” Owen posted on X.

“Bringing on 3 defenders at 1-0 up. What message does that send? I wrote it in my Daily Mail column after the Mexico game. Until we understand that courage and bravery is controlling possession under pressure and not booting / heading it up the field 40 yards, then this will always be the end result,” he added.

MORE: Epic showdown set for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Harry Kane explains what went wrong for England against Argentina

During his post-match interview, Harry Kane acknowledged that England lost control after taking the lead near the hour mark. The Bayern Munich striker admitted that the Three Lions stopped pressing and surrendered possession, saying that protecting their narrow lead was instinctual at the time.

“We scored and deserved to be ahead. Then, for one reason or another, we struggled to keep the ball, struggled to press, and simply allowed them to build momentum and create more danger in our defensive third. It’s a normal mentality to try to hold on and protect a one-goal lead,” Kane stated.

“When you’re that close, just over 10 minutes away, and it slips away from you like that… of course it hurts. We’re devastated,” he added. “We know how much reaching the final meant to them. Another semifinal. We always talk about knocking on the door. We’re close. We just need to find that missing piece in the final stages of tournaments.”

England will have one more game before exiting the World Cup, as they’ll take on France in the battle for third place on Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

England superstar Jude Bellingham has had a dominant run through the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but that World Cup run ended in heartbreak on Wednesday with the team falling to Argentina in the semifinals. After the match, Bellingham clearly let his frustration get the best of him.

As Argentina celebrated on the field following their 2-1 victory over England on Wednesday, Bellingham was caught on camera striking an Argentina player in apparent frustration.

Bellingham Strikes Argentina Player

In the aftermath of Wednesday’s 2-1 loss, a video showed Bellingham standing on the field as Argentina players began to celebrate. After Argentinian defender Valentín Barco joined the celebration, Bellingham immediately turned and struck him on the head.

It’s not clear whether or not Barco did or said something to spark Bellingham’s reaction, but Barco responded by shoving Bellingham. The other Argentina players immediately started trying to separate the two before Bellingham’s England teammates approached to do the same.

¡EL ENGANCHÓN DE BELLINGHAM CON LOS JUGADORES DE ARGENTINA TRAS EL FINAL!#NuestroMejorMundial#NuestroMejorMundialAS@jfelixdiaz@as_tvpic.twitter.com/9Y8rlgG2TL

— Diario AS (@diarioas) July 15, 2026

The incident came after England suffered a frustrating 2-1 loss to Argentina, after Bellingham helped put the team ahead 1-0 in the second half with a perfectly placed cross.

Bellingham Sparks Outrage

While it’s not clear what led to this reaction from Bellingham, he was certainly the first to get physical with Barco, and fans were quick to express their outrage at the incident.

“Wait what? Why on earth has he done that?!” one fan wrote in a post on X.

“The guy literally didn’t do anything???” someone else wrote.

“They must have told him something. Even so, you have to know how to lose,” another fan wrote.

“What outrages me is that this guy went out of nowhere to attack a rival player who was just happily celebrating with his team. Good thing he was exposed for the coward he is,” someone else added.

“Something so nasty about male players getting violent the second they’re losing,” another fan wrote, adding that “the kid didn’t even touch him.”

“One of the most unlikable and insufferable players out there. Bellingham is the sorest loser you can imagine,” someone else wrote, adding a photo of him kicking a cooler in frustration on a previous occasion.

While England has been eliminated from championship contention, they do still have one more match to play as they are set to take on France in the third-place match on Saturday.

The post ‘Unlikable and insufferable’: Jude Bellingham sparks outrage for ‘getting violent’ after World Cup loss appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

The build-up to England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina has taken a controversial turn following FIFA’s choice of referee.

With Thomas Tuchel’s side attempting to reach their first final since 1966 and the defending champions chasing consecutive titles, every decision in Atlanta will face enormous scrutiny.

Argentina’s knockout run has already produced complaints about VAR and refereeing, so the appointment was always likely to attract attention.

However, previous connections between the selected official and matches involving Lionel Messi have intensified the debate before a ball has even been kicked.

FIFA appointment adds pre-match controversy

According to the Daily Mail, concerns about possible favouritism have grown after FIFA appointed Ismail Elfath to referee Wednesday’s semi-final.

The Moroccan-born American will be assisted by Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins, while Italy’s Maurizio Mariani has been named fourth official.

ESPN has also confirmed Elfath’s appointment for the match at Atlanta Stadium. He has already handled three games at this World Cup, although this will be his first involving either England or Argentina.

Elfath served as fourth official when Argentina defeated France in the 2022 World Cup final.

He has also refereed several Inter Miami matches since Messi moved to MLS, including the 2023 Leagues Cup final against Nashville.

Calling him Messi’s “favourite referee”, however, remains a media description rather than evidence of an improper relationship or biased decision-making.

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Officials face scrutiny ahead of Argentina vs England

The wider concern comes from controversy surrounding Argentina’s victories over Egypt and Switzerland.

Reuters reported that opponents have repeatedly complained about decisions benefiting Argentina, although former FIFA referee Christina Unkel said the incidents she reviewed did not clearly demonstrate poor officiating.

FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina has also rejected allegations of bias, insisting that World Cup officials work independently and that questioning their integrity without evidence is unacceptable.

Elfath should be judged on Wednesday’s performance rather than his previous contact with Messi.

Referees frequently oversee the same leading players, especially when they work in the league where those players compete.

Still, FIFA must understand why the appointment has created nervousness. After several disputed decisions involving Argentina, even a correct but marginal call could trigger another major backlash.

Argentina make special request to FIFA ahead of their World Cup semi against England 

The post England vs Argentina semifinal fuels favouritism debate as FIFA announce decision appeared first on CaughtOffside.

India and England begin a three-match One-Day International series on Tuesday at Edgbaston as two of cricket’s strongest batting lineups meet in Birmingham.

How to Watch India vs England

• When: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
• Time: 5:50 AM ET
• TV Channel: Willow Sports, Willow TV
• Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

India enters the 50-over series with Shubman Gill serving as captain and veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to strengthen the top order. Kohli is set to make his 300th ODI appearance, while Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh give India several proven options with the ball. Harshit Rana will miss the series because of a hamstring injury, with Prince Yadav replacing him in the squad.

England will be led by Harry Brook and brings an experienced group featuring Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, and Adil Rashid. The hosts will look to carry their recent white-ball momentum into the longer format, while India will try to establish control early in a series that continues Thursday in Cardiff and concludes Sunday at Lord’s.

This is a great cricket matchup that you will not want to miss. Make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

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Argentina’s preparations for their blockbuster World Cup semi-final against England have taken an unexpected turn, with the reigning champions making a special request regarding the kit they will wear in Atlanta.

The decision may seem like a minor detail compared with team selection and tactics, but shirts often carry emotional and historical meaning in international football.

With Argentina and England sharing one of the World Cup’s most famous rivalries, the choice of colours has already created another talking point before Wednesday’s meeting.

Argentina await FIFA decision over blue kit

According to journalist Gastón Edul, Argentina have requested permission to wear their blue away jersey against England.

A final decision is expected on Tuesday, just one day before the two teams compete for a place in the World Cup final.

Argentina have worn the blue strip only once during this tournament, in their 3-1 group-stage victory over Jordan.

England have been designated as the home team for the semi-final, which provides a practical explanation for Argentina’s request, although the traditional light-blue-and-white shirt would not necessarily create a major colour clash.

There may also be a superstitious element. Argentina wore darker away colours during their famous World Cup victories over England in 1986 and 1998, creating a possible sense of good fortune around the shirt.

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Historic rivalry adds meaning to unusual request

The Football Association has confirmed that England and Argentina will meet in Atlanta on Wednesday, 15th July, at 8pm BST.

England reached the last four by beating Norway 2-1 after extra time, while Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 following another extended quarter-final.

The kit request adds another fascinating layer to an already enormous match.

Argentina are usually instantly recognisable in their striped home shirt, but the dark-blue jersey carries its own history against England.

Ultimately, the colour will not decide the result. Tactics, fitness and handling the pressure will matter far more.

Still, football is full of rituals, and if Argentina believe the blue shirt gives them even a small psychological lift, it is understandable that they want to wear it.

“He doesn’t really know” – Jude Bellingam brutally fires back at Thomas Tuchel’s England criticism

The post Argentina make special request to FIFA ahead of their World Cup semi against England appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The Vauxhall Frontera breaks into the Northern Irish Top 10 in June.

Now that we covered the UK market for June, it’s time to go into the detail of UK nations. This month, England is up 12.2% to 183,883 sales, Northern Ireland up 12.4% to 4,826, Scotland up 4.4% to 17,836 and Wales up 7.8% to 6,282. Over H1, England is up 9.9% to 982,328, Northern Ireland up 1.6% to 25,585, Scotland up 5.5% to 92,596 and Wales up 7.5% to 35,972.

Podium finishers are as follows: the Tesla Model Y is #1 in England, the Ford Puma #1 in Northern Ireland, #2 in Wales and #3 in England, the Vauxhall Corsa #1 in Scotland, the MG HS #1 in Wales and #3 in Scotland, the Tesla Model 3 #2 in England and Northern Ireland, the Nissan Qashqai #2 in Scotland and #3 in Wales and the Hyundai Tucson #3 in Northern Ireland and #4 in Scotland

Notice also the Renault Clio #6 in Scotland, Toyota Aygo X #6 in Wales, Omoda 5 #7 in Scotland, Ford Kuga #8 in England, the Vauxhall Frontera breaking into the Northern Irish Top 10 at #9 and the Dacia Sandero #10 in Scotland.

Previous month: UK nations May 2026: Jaecoo 5, Renault Symbioz and Chery Tiggo 8 score first Top 10

One year ago: UK nations June 2025: Skoda Kodiaq #2 in Northern Ireland, Peugeot 2008 in all Top 10s

Full June 2026 Top 10 models for each UK nation below.

England (UK) June 2026 – models:

Northern Ireland (UK) June 2026 – models:

Scotland (UK) June 2026 – models:

Wales (UK) June 2026 – models:

Source: SMMT