Jude Bellingham has played down an animated first-half discussion with Lionel Messi during the World Cup semifinal, explaining they were simply debating a foul. "It was nothing bad," Bellingham said. "I thought there was a foul earlier and he said: 'What about the one on me?' I said: 'You're strong enough to take it.' It was a privilege to play against him.

Argentina overturned Anthony Gordon's opener to win 2-1 and reach Sunday's final against Spain. Thomas Tuchel's defensive substitutions drew criticism as Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez turned the game late. Harry Kane admitted England erred by retreating after taking the lead: "Once we went 1-0 up we seemed to just try and hold on which at this level is just not enough."

Kane said the messaging was to keep pressing but England struggled to match Argentina's waves of attacks. The Three Lions had topped their group and beaten Congo DR, Mexico, and Norway in the knockout stages, aiming for a first final since 1966.

"We're close. We just need to find that missing piece," Kane reflected on a tournament that took "so much effort, pressure, mentality" over six weeks.