Keir Starmer has been blamed by social media users for England's World Cup semi-final defeat against Argentina, despite having no connection to the team, squad selection, tactics, coaching, or any aspect of England's World Cup journey. Just minutes after the defeat, social media was flooded with posts blaming the outgoing Prime Minister. One user wrote: "We all knew when he said he'd go to the world cup final if we won tonight that we'd get beat. Cursed w*****." Another added: "Can't help but feel like this is all Starmer’s fault." A third commented: "Must be Starmer's fault. England will win the next, under Farage, but only if sponsored by Gazprom."
Chaos in Buenos Aires
In Argentina, hundreds of thousands of fans filled the centre of Buenos Aires to celebrate their team's victory, with many burning England flags in the streets. People climbed monuments, clung to lampposts, and streamed out of bars to join the chaos. One man proposed to his girlfriend during the celebrations, and she accepted.
Bellingham Slaps Barco
Heated post-match scenes saw England midfielder Jude Bellingham slap Argentina's Valentin Barco. The altercation occurred after Barco had previously abandoned the substitutes' bench to celebrate in front of England players during the match. Bellingham, who speaks Spanish, approached Barco, who was arm-in-arm with Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, and struck him in the back of the head. Barco spun around and squared up to Bellingham. The 23-year-old Bellingham, England's standout performer throughout the tournament, was later seen weeping in the stands with his family.
Tuchel Under Fire
Criticism has been aimed at England manager Thomas Tuchel for his cautious approach. BBC pundit Chris Sutton questioned whether Tuchel is the right choice to remain as manager. Former England captain Wayne Rooney claimed Tuchel "gave up," arguing that his substitutions caused the team to lose confidence. Speaking after full-time, Rooney said: "We've crumbled... it started from the manager." He added: "Once we got the first goal, we didn't look to go for the second goal. For the players, and for me, Thomas Tuchel made the decision, and when you make the decision it is a gamble. The gamble he made was to go with five at the back, which allowed them to dictate the game. The decisions that Tuchel has made cost us tonight." Rooney continued: "It's a panic, it's a real panic. You can't go a goal up and then surrender. Surrender the ball and surrender any opportunity of trying to get the second goal. You want to be on the front foot when the pressure is on Argentina to get back in the game."
Tuchel Commits to England
Despite the criticism, Tuchel still enjoys the FA's support and remains under contract until after Euro 2028. Tuchel pledged his commitment to the role, saying: "I have a contract until the home Euros and I'm looking forward to that even like now it is difficult to look that far ahead."
