Fernandes, 25, ended his hopes of reaching the final for the first time since 1966 when Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in stoppage time. Later, Fernandes posted a photo on Instagram of himself laughing with Lionel Messi and Leandro Paredes while Oasis’ Wonderwall song played in the background. The song had become England’s unofficial national anthem, but Fernandes later deleted the post following widespread backlash.
Fernandes had already irritated the fans by celebrating the equalizer enthusiastically, with the midfielder cupping his ear and making a gesture that seemed to mimic chatter. The Argentina international also faced widespread criticism for his actions during the match as tensions escalated.
His recent social media activity is unlikely to go over well with England supporters, who are unlikely to give the 25-year-old a particularly warm welcome should he travel across the country with Chelsea next season.
The London club itself also attracted criticism after it published a post on its official X account congratulating Fernandes shortly after Argentina’s victory. The image was accompanied by the caption “Enzo Fernandes” and an explosion emoji.
However, the post went viral on social media and was quickly deleted, sparking anger among supporters, including some fans.
England took the lead in the second half with a goal from Anthony Gordon, but Argentina took control of the match as their opponents retreated to protect their lead.
Manager Lionel Scaloni admitted Argentina “smelled blood” when England withdrew, adding: “They doubted themselves a little bit.
“We smelled blood and went for it. We all felt it.”
