Telegraph accused Argentina of deploying 31 "dirty tricks" in semifinal

The British newspaper The Telegraph has accused Argentina of resorting to 31 "dirty tricks" during their 2-1 World Cup semifinal win against England. The publication detailed a series of unsportsmanlike actions allegedly employed by the Argentine squad to unsettle their opponents. The alleged tactics began in the first minute with a foul by Alexis Mac Allister and continued with incidents involving Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández, and Giuliano Simeone. The report also highlighted Argentine players' constant appeals to the referee, attempts to block and provoke England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and Lionel Messi's physical engagement with Jude Bellingham near the advertising hoardings. Cristian Romero's provocations were also noted, along with an instance where a ball was thrown from the bench to delay a quick throw-in. The article claims these actions were a consistent strategy throughout the match.