England captain Harry Kane was at the centre of a controversial incident during the first half of the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, with BBC pundits Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney left furious after footage emerged of the striker covering his mouth while speaking to the referee.
The incident, which went largely unnoticed during the live broadcast, was highlighted by BBC presenter Mark Chapman during the half-time analysis. Kane was seen covering his mouth while talking to referee Ismail Elfath, prompting Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes to appeal for a red card under new FIFA rules introduced before the tournament.
New FIFA Rules Spark Confusion
Under the new regulations, covering the mouth is a red card offence in "situations of confrontation with opponents." However, as Kane was simply addressing the referee, no offence was committed. Former Newcastle star Miguel Almiron and Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie have both been sent off at this year's World Cup for similar actions, but the context was different.
Chapman explained to viewers: "We're just going to show you another clip, it involves the Argentinian, Paredes. As you can see, Harry Kane puts his hand over his mouth to talk to the referee, and then Paredes suggests that isn't allowed, and therefore should the referee look at it. There he goes, coming in to try and argue that you shouldn't put your hand over your mouth. The rules are if you put your hand over your mouth and say something to another player. It looked like he was saying something to the referee."
Pundits React with Fury
Ex-England internationals Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney were unimpressed by Paredes' appeals. Hart branded the actions as "pathetic" and said: "It is so difficult to communicate out there. Harry Kane is trying to have a personal conversation with the referee. I get that they will try to do anything they can to win this game, but come on. Win the game by scoring more goals."
Rooney added simply: "I think it is ridiculous."
Match Context
The first half ended goalless, with tensions high as both teams battled for a place in the final against Spain. The anthems were met with boos from opposition fans, and heavy challenges flew in across the pitch. After the break, Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for England in the 55th minute, poking home from Morgan Rogers' cross.
The incident highlighted the heightened scrutiny under new FIFA rules, which have already led to several red cards during the tournament. England progressed to the final, but the controversy surrounding Kane's alleged offence lingered.
