Bellingham's controversial celebration raises eyebrows after dramatic equalizer
Jude Bellingham made a gesture after the match against Slovakia that many perceived as disrespectful toward the opponent. The footballer has already started explaining himself.
1 July 2024 12:44
During the Round of 16 of Euro 2024, played on Sunday, 30 June, fans had the chance to witness a nearly sensational turn of events. In the 25th minute of the match between Slovakia and England, Ivan Schranz put his team in the lead. This situation remained until Jude Bellingham managed to equalise in the 95th minute of the match, delivering an impressive bicycle kick.
Scandalous behaviour of the England footballer after the match
After scoring the goal, tears of emotion appeared in the eyes of the 21-year-old Real Madrid player. Bellingham celebrated his achievement with Harry Kane and then turned towards the substitutes' bench and made a gesture of grabbing his crotch. Ultimately, the England team advanced to the quarter-finals after extra time, thanks to Kane scoring a decisive goal. The match ended with a 2-1 result for the English.
Jude Bellingham's gesture did not go unnoticed and sparked a broad discussion after the match. Many people, including outraged fans, accused the young footballer of disrespecting the opponents. To calm the situation, Bellingham published a recording of his celebration on the X platform. In his post, he explained that the gesture was not directed at the Slovaks but was a joke towards some close friends present at the match. He also emphasised that he fully respected the Slovak team for their play that evening.
This was not the first time the young Englishman made such a gesture. A similar situation occurred during an April match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, in which the 'Royals' won 3-2, and Bellingham scored the decisive goal in the match's closing minutes.
Future clash for the English
In the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, the England team will face Switzerland, who defeated Italy 2-0 in the previous stage of the tournament. The match will take place on Saturday, 6 July, at the stadium in Düsseldorf, and its start is scheduled. The excitement following recent thrilling events makes the upcoming match eagerly anticipated.
