Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has claimed England midfielder Jude Bellingham used offensive language towards him during a heated half-time confrontation in Tuesday’s goalless draw between the two nations at the FIFA World Cup.
The incident occurred moments before the break after Bellingham flew into a late challenge on Ghana defender Jerome Opoku, prompting angry reactions from the Black Stars bench.
Television cameras captured a visibly frustrated Bellingham exchanging words with members of Ghana’s technical team near the touchline before England teammate Morgan Rogers stepped in and led him away as players headed towards the dressing rooms.
Speaking after the match, Queiroz revealed that his intention was initially to calm the situation and check on Opoku, who was left on the ground following the challenge.
“My intention was to tell him to cool down after the tackle he made,” Queiroz explained.
“I was worried because our player was still down and I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
The veteran Portuguese coach, however, claimed the conversation quickly escalated when Bellingham reacted angrily.
“He had a bad reaction and used some offensive language, and that’s why the story started,” Queiroz said.
The former Portugal, Iran and Real Madrid coach also suggested the England star was fortunate not to face stronger disciplinary action for the challenge.
“It could have been a second yellow card or even a red card. It was clear because he went in with his foot against our player.”
Despite his criticism of the tackle and the language allegedly used, Queiroz attempted to downplay the significance of the incident afterwards, insisting such moments are common in high-pressure matches.
“In the heat of the moment, these things are normal,” he said.
“He swore, and that created more tension. It’s football; it’s nothing special. One word created a bit of fire, but we cooled down.”
Bellingham also addressed the flashpoint after the match, admitting his challenge had been reckless.
“It was just when I made a silly tackle, to be honest,” the England midfielder said.
“I was trying to win the ball and I followed through a little bit and caught the lad. I spoke to him after and then their bench jumped up trying to get me a yellow card.”
The altercation was one of the few fiery moments in a tightly contested Group L encounter that ended 0-0, with Ghana frustrating England throughout the evening.
The result leaves both teams on four points heading into the final round of group matches, with qualification for the Round of 32 still to be decided.
While the match itself produced few clear-cut chances, the half-time confrontation ensured there was no shortage of tension between the two camps in Foxborough.
Source: ghanasoccernet