It has been just over a fortnight since Argentina beat England in their World Cup semi-final grudge match, and it is fair to say the English are still feeling the heartache.The pain of a late defeat was exacerbated by the taunting nature of the Argentine celebrations, as were several displays of clear aggression and petulance from the Albiceleste during their late reprise and eventual victory in Atlanta. Perhaps one of the more memorable aspects of this provocative Argentine behaviour were the actions of Chelsea-bound Valentin Barco, whose move to Stamford Bridge was confirmed on Sunday evening.The Blues’ latest acquisition, 22, will expect a hostile welcome to the Premier League by the vast majority of fans as a result of his antics in the semi-final.Despite not playing in the match, the former Strasbourg man was unsportsmanlike to say the least in his celebration of Enzo Fernandez’s late equaliser, resulting in a bust-up with with Three Lions hero Jude Bellingham, who slapped him on the back of the head after the game. Jude Bellingham clashed with unused Argentina substitute Valentin Barco Barco’s provocative celebrations irked England’s star man after their semi final clash Bellingham delivered a slap on the back of the head for the defender, who is set to join ChelseaBarco started this by bounding across the pitch and through a number of dejected English players after Fernandez’s effort flew past Jordan Pickford, with the substitute having no acceptable reason for being so far on the field of play.While Barco clearly succeeded in his attempts to rattle Tuchel’s team, he may have not have thought through the possible consequences.Bellingham’s relatively tame slap will most likely not be the final punishment the young lad will receive. With Barco joining Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea from sister club Strasbourg in Ligue 1, one would imagine there may be some awkwardness with his new skipper Reece James and Chelsea’s other English stars. Perhaps, though, they will put it all to one side as they band together ahead of the new Premier League season. If so, the Argentine’s biggest concern should be the reception he can expect from opposing fans, as well as perhaps other members of the doomed England team.Barco will, of course, have the opportunity to silence his critics with his ability on the pitch. The young man can look to the example set by outgoing Chelsea star Marc Cucurella, who was in a similar position to the full-back just two years ago. Off the back of Euro 2024 final, when his Spain side beat England 2-1, the left back was the subject of major derision and hatred from the English press and supporters alike due to his antics during the game and in the post-match celebrations. Cucurella himself said he thought he was being treated more harshly by the authorities, saying they were ‘going after’ him as ‘they’re hurt’. However, two years later he leaves England for Real Madrid having earned respect through his excellent performances at Stamford Bridge.But matching the Spaniard’s trajectory will not be easy for Barco, partly because the Boca Juniors academy graduate has failed to impress before in the Premier League, during his stint at Brighton. Barco featured as a substitute in the group-stage win over Jordan but did not play in any of Argentina’s other seven matches at the World CupHis underwhelming performances on the south coast were characterised mainly by an inability to deal with the pace and physicality of the division, a common obstacle for foreign imports in the Premier League. But what was more worrying was the surprisingly small amount of quality he displayed on the ball, as ever since he first gained attention from European clubs at a very young age he has always been viewed as extremely technically gifted.However, in spite of this disappointing spell at Brighton, hefound his footing in France and quickly became a key figure in Liam Rosenior’s 2024-25 Strasbourg side.In Ligue 1, the Argentinian regained confidence and enjoyed a great run of form in the season just gone under Liam Rosenior and eventually Gary O’Neil, which ultimately earned him a place in Lionel Scaloni’s 2026 World Cup squad. Barco played an impressive 43 games for Strasbourg in all competitions last season, registering three goals and six assists. Barco has joined Chelsea after making a name for himself for all the wrong reasonsAs a result, Barco has become the latest Strasbourg player to have earned a move from North France to West London in the BlueCo era, and despite a lot of Chelsea fans being sceptical about the move, one does have to concede that he seems to be a perfect fit for new manager Alonso’s dynamic back-three system.This is partially due to the diminutive Argentinian’s positional versatility. Barco has previously been deployed as a left back in a back four, a left wing back in a back five as well as most recently coming into his own as a left sided defensive midfielder in a double pivot. This, along with his work-rate on the pitch, sharp footballing brain and wicked left foot have earned Barco a lot of recent attention from modern attack-minded managers, such as the new Chelsea boss who now has another excellent option in his new squad for the upcoming season.However, currently his petulant behaviour overshadows his ability and puts any fanfare surrounding the signing on hold. Barco will have to be aware of and prepare himself for the constant abuse he is likely to receive from English fans next season.It will be fascinating to see how the young talent responds to this inevitable criticism and how it may affect how he performs for his new club.