Jude Bellingham will be allowed to play for England in its crucial match against Switzerland – and the rest of the Euro 2024 tournament – despite a controversial goal celebration.
The England star was investigated by UEFA over a gesture he made during England’s game against Slovakia – after he scored an equaliser in injury time to keep Euro 2024 hopes alive.
He has been given a one-match ban – but that is “subject to a probationary period of one year, starting from the date of the present decision”.
This means the ban would only apply if there is a further incident in the next year.
He has been fined a total of €30,000 (£25,400).
The Real Madrid star, 21, posted on X about the gesture in the hours after the match, describing his act as an “inside joke”.
“An inside joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game,” he said. “Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight.”
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Just imagine if Gareth Southgate had gone through with the plan to bring off Jude Bellingham.
Imagine if Bellingham had been dropped completely from England’s starting line-up against Slovakia as Southgate faced calls to do.
What Bellingham produced – in a mesmerising moment of magic – is what Real Madrid fans have been cherishing all season.
And it is why Southgate trusted his judgement rather than the clamour for change – even resting Bellingham.
Just a day after his 21st birthday, the overhead kick was Bellingham’s own gift for the nation – saving the Euros campaign.
After watching from the substitute’s bench, Conor Gallagher said: “Buzzing like every single English fan. Incredible goal, incredible moment.”
Few moments in England’s history have been as dramatic as a 95th minute equaliser to keep the team in a tournament.
And thanks to Harry Kane‘s header inside a minute of extra time it is onto the quarter-finals.
Image: Bellingham rescued England with a sublime goal. Pic: Reuters
Image: Kane and Bellingham have scored all of England’s goals at the tournament. Pic: AP
But had it not been for Bellingham’s brilliance they would have been packing their bags – and he felt the weight of responsibility as the ball came to him in the penalty area.
“You’re 30 seconds from going home, having to listen to all the rubbish, feeling like you’ve let a nation of people down,” Bellingham said.
“And in 30 seconds or in one kick of the ball everything can change. And it’s a feeling that I never want – I don’t like to be in – but when it’s done it feels great.
“So it’s a habit I’ve picked up from Madrid. Obviously my game’s improved a lot since I’ve joined, and I’m really grateful I could bring it to this game.”
Image: Bellingham hugged his mum after the match. Pic: Reuters
Image: Kane nodded in at the start of extra time. Pic: Reuters
Bellingham also scored in the opening match – sealing the 1-0 win over Serbia, also in Gelsenkirchen – while Kane netted England’s only goal in the 1-1 draw against Denmark.
With England held 0-0 by Slovenia in their final group game, their only goals have come from Bellingham and Kane.
It means no player from a Premier League club has, unusually, found the net for England; Kane is now with Bayern Munich and Bellingham with the newly-crowned Spanish and European champions.
‘You hear people talk a lot of rubbish’
Playing overseas has done nothing to remove the sense of expectation to end Three Lions’ wait for a first trophy since 1966 – or the clamour of the critics.
“Playing for England is an enjoyable feeling, but it’s also a lot of pressure,” Bellingham said.
“You hear people talk a lot of rubbish and it’s nice when you deliver. You can give them a little bit back.”
That explains why he appeared to bellow “Who else?” during his goal celebration.
“Scoring goals, celebrating is my release,” he said. “It was maybe a message to a few people.”
Image: It was joy and relief at the whistle for England. Pic: Reuters
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0:28
Fans roar after England’s nail-biting win
Bellingham hopes the adrenaline can propel England to another final, having only been a teenager and making brief appearances at Euro 2020.
The pain of penalties in the final defeat to Italy still linger for England, followed by the 2022 World Cup exit at the hands of France in the quarter-final.
The performances so far in Germany have provided little belief to match England’s pre-Euros billing as a favourite for the trophy.
Image: Southgate’s tactics have been widely criticised. Pic: Reuters
“Fans expect a lot from us, regardless of kind of what happened in recent tournaments,” Bellingham said.
“So people talk a lot and I think you do have to take it personally a little bit.
“We work so hard at this game. We come in and we train every day so hard to try and put on performances for the fans.
“And sometimes it doesn’t go well and sometimes feels like there’s a bit of a pile on and, yeah it’s not nice to hear, but you can always use it.
“And for moments like that, it’s nice to kind of throw it back to some people, I suppose.”
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And as England look ahead to playing Switzerland, the hope is that the resolve inspiring the comeback against Slovakia can be transformative for a team trying to emulate the women’s side by becoming European champions.
“You don’t experience things like that if you don’t have the adversity of the two draws, if you don’t have the adversity of going one-nil down,” Bellingham said. “It’s brilliant because it shows a reaction.”
No Euros game on record has had as few shots as England’s clash with Serbia.
But one of those 11 shots was enough for Jude Bellingham to seize on – heading in Bukayo Saka’s cross after 13 minutes. And it was just enough for England.
Whatever the second-half anxiety, a 1-0 win put England in control of their group thanks to Slovenia and Denmark drawing 1-1 in their opener.
A win and two-point cushion seems more important for Bellingham than any grumbling about the display.
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1:57
England defeat Serbia in Euros
“The first half shows why we can score goals against any team, and the second half shows why we can keep a clean sheet against any team,” Bellingham said.
“I think obviously commonly with the team, there’s a negative theme around all our games – sometimes rightly so.
“But I think in this case, you take the positives from the fact that, OK, maybe we had to hold on at times and suffer a little bit, but we kept a clean sheet.
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“And when you keep a clean sheet, all you have to do is go one goal to win the game.”
Image: Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrate after the Real Madrid star’s goal for England. Pic: AP
It was anxious as Serbia regained the initiative in the second half and left England scrambling to protect the slender lead.
But Gareth Southgate has now won all four opening tournament matches as England manager while still waiting to end a tournament with a win – and a trophy.
This is a new-look England – with only half of the squad retained from the last tournament and the run to the World Cup quarterfinals in 2022.
Bellingham said: “This team is still so new, gelling together with every game.
“So, I think inside the changing room we will be happy with that of course.
“There will be negatives that we want to kind of rub out. But overall, I’m pleased with that performance.”
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Fans celebrate first England goal of the Euros
For Bellingham individually, this was another moment to shine being named player of the match after making an immediate impact on another major football stage.
More renditions of “Hey Jude” from the Three Lions fans in Gelsenkirchen, affection he tries to reciprocate by putting everything into energetic displays.
And the big reveal from Bellingham?
“I listen to the Beatles a lot,” he said. “My style of music is a bit old. So that’s right up my street.”
A wise head on a young body, it is easy to forget he is still only 20 – and already a Champions League and La Liga winner with Real Madrid.
Read more: England player ratings: Guehi impressive Bellingham called world’s best by Top Trumps Axe-wielding man shot near Hamburg fanzone
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What will it take to give the England men their first trophy since the 1966 World Cup?
“I realise that in every game I feel like I can make an impact,” he said after collecting the player of the match award.
“I feel like I can decide games… and the truth is that I really enjoy playing football. So when I go out there, I play with a fearlessness because I love doing it so much. It’s a release for me.
“And it’s my favourite thing to do in the world. So when I play out, it’s not much of a job. It feels like a pleasure.”
Jude Bellingham fired in a header to help England get up and running in Euro 2024 as they beat Serbia 1-0.
It was a nervy second half for England though, who were forced to soak up pressure from their much-improved opponents.
Bellingham had settled fans’ nerves early on, scoring from a deflected Bukayo Saka cross from the right in the 13th minute.
The 20-year-old’s goal came just a few weeks after he finished a stellar season with Real Madrid by lifting the Champions League.
Kyle Walker also had a good chance in the 25th minute, using his pace to dart into the box and flash the ball across goal.
Image: Wembley’s BoxPark was rocking after the opening goal. Pic: Reuters
England dominated most of the first half, though there was a warning of Serbia’s threat when Aleksandar Mitrovic sent a shot a few yards wide in the 20th minute.
Serbia were much better after the break, winning more 50-50 balls and putting the Three Lions on the back foot for much of the last 45.
Southgate’s team struggled for possession and Trent Alexander-Arnold made way for Conor Gallagher and Saka was subbed for Jarrod Bowen.
Harry Kane almost made it 2-0 with a header from close range in the 77th minute, but the Serbian keeper pushed it on to the crossbar.
Image: Harry Kane duels with Serbia’s Nikola Milenkovic. Pic: AP
It was a quiet game overall for the captain, who scored a prolific 44 goals with Bayern Munich this season.
Jordan Pickford also made a crucial save in the 82nd minute to keep out Dusan Vlahovic’s shot from about 22 yards.
Goal scorer Bellingham was subbed late on for another young prodigy, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, but fans will be happy the star man got on the score sheet.
The result puts England top of their group after Denmark and Slovenia drew 1-1 earlier.
Next up for the Three Lions is Denmark this Thursday followed by Slovenia on 25 June.
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