Bangkok: Jude Bellingham revealed that he only went to "discuss and argue about a foul in the game" with Lionel Messi and had no malicious intent or used abusive language, contrary to the dramatic news reports. The altercation occurred during the 2026 World Cup semi-final where Argentina defeated England 2-1.

According to Thai News Agency, Bellingham gave an official press interview to quell the rumors, stating that he felt there was an earlier incident that should have been a foul. Messi retorted, "What about the foul I got?" and Bellingham's response was, "You're strong enough to withstand that impact."