England's 0-0 draw with Ghana on Tuesday left Thomas Tuchel's side frustrated after a lack of quality in attack saw them fail to kick on following their opening win over Croatia.
It was tense at times as the two sides locked horns in the gritty match, with the image of Jude Bellingham speaking to Ghana captain Jordan Ayew catching the eye of some.
Earlier in the tournament, Paraguay's Miguel Almirón was sent off for a similar act, when he covered his mouth during a confrontation with Türkiye's Mert Mulder.
So why did Bellingham not suffer the same fate?
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What did Jude Bellingham do?
Having been spotted having a heated exchange with a member of the Ghana coaching staff at half-time, Bellingham was also seen talking to Ayew during the match with his hand covering his mouth.
It's a growing trend among players to stop television cameras from picking up what they are saying.
Why was Jude Bellingham not sent off?
FIFA introduced the rule to discourage players from saying controversial or offensive things during a match. The move came after Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni received a six-game ban for anti-gay conduct towards VinÃcius Júnior in a Champions League match with Real Madrid earlier this year.
However, the rule states that it is only worthy of a send off if the players are having a confrontation or argument.
"Players can continue to cover their mouth with an arm and the shirt because they may chat with friends," FIFA referee's boss Pierluigi Collina said before the World Cup.
In Bellingham's discussion with Ayew, sources have told ESPN that the England midfielder was not being confrontational, so Collina's statement applies.
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What did Miguel Almiron do?
Almiron made history by become the first player to be sent off under the new rule.
The match between Paraguay and Türkiye was heated. During a scuffle following a challenge from Ismail Yüksek on Paraguay's Isidro Pitta, Almiron covered his mouth during a confrontation with Mulder.
After a VAR review, the referee deemed the incident worthy of a red card.
