June 30th 2024.
In the aftermath of England's dramatic last-minute victory at Euro 2024 on Sunday, tensions were high between England and Slovakia. The match was a close call, with England narrowly avoiding a 1-0 defeat before making a comeback in extra time to secure a 2-1 win. But it wasn't just the players on the field who were involved in the drama, as an altercation between Declan Rice and Slovakia's head coach Francesco Calzona took place after the final whistle.
According to lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman, Rice called Calzona a "bald c***" during the heated exchange. It all started when Calzona pushed Rice in the chest while speaking to the referee. Rice, understandably upset, reacted angrily and had to be pulled away by his teammates Ivan Tony and Aaron Ramsdale. The incident caused quite a stir and was caught on camera for all to see.
In an interview with MailOnline, Calzona explained his side of the story, saying that Rice was supposed to approach the referee and then leave, but instead, he continued to speak with the official. Calzona claims that Rice eventually apologized and the matter was put to rest. However, the tension between the two teams was still evident and Calzona also expressed his frustration with the referee's failure to punish England for time-wasting during the match.
Despite the heated exchange, England emerged victorious and will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on July 6. If they continue to win, they could potentially face Romania, Netherlands, Austria, or Turkey in the semi-finals and Germany, Spain, Georgia, Portugal, Slovenia, France, or Belgium in the final.
As for Calzona and Slovakia, they may have lost the match, but the coach still had praise for his team's performance. He admitted that perhaps they should have been more aggressive in their man-marking, but ultimately, he is proud of their efforts. However, he did express his disappointment with the referees and their behavior towards his team, feeling that England's time-wasting was not properly punished.
In the world of football, tensions can run high and emotions can often get the best of players and coaches. But at the end of the day, it's all about the game and both teams should be commended for their efforts. As the tournament continues, it will be interesting to see how the remaining matches play out and if there will be any more heated exchanges on and off the field.
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