Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz accused England’s Jude Bellingham of rude language after the 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Tuesday.
The midfielder cut a frustrated figure during the first half in Foxborough on Tuesday night.
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England struggled to break down a spirited Ghana defence as the Black Stars sat deep in their own half.
Bellingham committed a late challenge on Jerome Opoku moments before half-time and it infuriated the Ghana bench, including Queiroz and Ghana assistant coach John Paintsil.
Bellingham had to be dragged away by teammate Morgan Rogers as he exchanged angry words with the Ghana bench.
Queiroz could be seen shouting towards the Three Lions man after he exchanged words with his staff.
The back-and-forth continued as they made their way across the pitch towards the tunnel before Rogers pulled Bellingham away.
Replays appeared to show the Real Madrid star giving an X-rated response as he turned back and told the Ghana staff to ‘f*** off’.
Neither Bellingham nor Queiroz were booked by the referee following the altercation.
This summer’s tournament represents the 73-year-old’s fifth finals as a manager.
He previously took charge of his native Portugal in 2010 before managing Iran at the last three editions.
What has been said afterwards?
“It was just when I made a silly tackle, to be honest,” Bellingham explained.
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“I was trying to try 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.
“I think their manager, I just recognised him. He’s obviously the one who used to be at Manchester United [in two spells as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant], so great respect, and nothing but a competitive edge for both of us.”
Meanwhile, Queiroz said the row escalated after Bellingham swore in his direction.
“First, my intention was to tell him to cool down with that tackle that he did,” Queiroz explained.
“It could be a second yellow card or red card, it was clear because he went [with] his foot against our player. But my first role was to cool down because I was worried that the player was not 100 per cent out.
“He had a bad reaction with some bad names and that’s why the story started.”
Queiroz added: “In the middle of the emotional moment, these things are normal. He swears and that created more tension.
“It’s football, it’s nothing special. One word created a bit of fire but we cooled down. Football is not dancing in a saloon with tuxedos. It’s not a show.”
‘What a load of rubbish’
Queiroz claimed his side knew they had England worked out ‘physically and mentally’ as early as half-time.
The goalless draw leaves England and Ghana level on four points with the Three Lions ahead on goal difference.
Queiroz has been in charge of Ghana since April after replacing Otto Addo as manager two months before the World Cup.
A frustrating match for England and eSPORTY’s Adrian Durham was every fan in his scathing full-time assessment.
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“What a load of rubbish that was,” Durham began.
“I mean you get your hopes up every single time with England at a tournament. And yes they may well go through the group, and yes they may well get to the knockout stages. But what kind of statement was that?
“When you’ve had such a great second half performance against Croatia, the connection between the players and the fans at the end of that game.
“And all those fans make their way here and they’ve spent a fortune. And what they have to witness, honestly, I just wonder why we bother.”
“Marc Guehi, dilly-dallying on the ball. Madueke, ridiculously overhitting a simple pass to Declan Rice who’s fuming with him and then he gives the ball away.
“Harry Kane staying central, doesn’t really go out wide to make things happen. Anthony Gordon, I mean a Barcelona check in the receipts.
“What’s going on? Seriously, and why was Rashford left on the bench so long?
“Unbelievably bad from England. Let’s see if there’s a connection between the players and the fans here. I don’t expect them to be booed. There’s an effort in there that you’ve got to admire and applaud. I get that but that simply was not good enough.”
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