Jude Bellingham admits to being scapegoated by England after the Three Lion’s Euro Finals loss to Spain in Berlin.
Jude Bellingham says he has got his smile back after “feeling a bit like the scapegoat” for England’s failure to win Euro 2024.
Before saving Gareth Southgate’s team from elimination in the round of 16. Bellingham scored England’s first goal of the tournament in a 1-0 victory over Serbia. He then equalised against Slovakia with an overhead kick in the 95th minute.
In the end, England lost their second European Championship final in three years, falling to Spain 2-1.
In Germany, England was criticised of playing too conservatively, and Bellingham specifically was the focus of what he called a “pile on” of criticism.
“I lost my smile a lot playing for England after the Euros. I felt I was a little mistreated compared to what I contributed.” Bellingham said before Real Madrid’s Champions League meeting with Liverpool.
“[The] smile is back [now].
“I think it was a bit harsh on me. I felt a bit like the scapegoat. Maybe I felt a bit sorry for myself.
“I felt I contributed some pretty big moments, but it felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me, especially in the three days after the final. It wasn’t a nice feeling.”
Bellingham addressed reports that he refused to speak to the media during the tournament.
“That was reported in a way that made it sound like I think I’m above it, but it’s not that at all,” he said.
“I had some personal things going on where journalists had gone to see members of my family while I was at the tournament, my grandparents.
“I don’t think that’s fair, it crosses the line of respect. That’s where I took it a little bit personally and decided I would just focus on the football and let that do the talking, instead of talking in the press to people that seemingly don’t respect me.
“My family comes first – my nan didn’t want to leave her house for the whole summer.
“Maybe I should have communicated that so people understood my situation. But that was a little bit more personal to me so that’s why I decided to keep my mouth shut.”