Jude Bellingham has disclosed that there were significant issues off the pitch within the England squad during Euro 2024. Although the team reached the final, where they were ultimately defeated by Spain, Sir Gareth Southgate’s players struggled to find their rhythm throughout their campaign in Germany.
Thomas Tuchel has emphasized the importance of building a “At the Euros I think we got a few things wrong off the pitch, I don’t feel the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons,” among his players as they aim for World Cup victory this summer. In contrast, Bellingham, speaking from England’s training base in Kansas City, noted that such camaraderie was lacking during the European Championship two years prior.
“When it came to the tournament, we were seen as one of two or three teams that could win it. We weren’t playing well, which doesn’t help, so even when we were winning, we didn’t get the feeling that we were as happy as we should be.” he shared with the Lion’s Den. “I still remember how I was feeling at the time. It always makes me feel a bit uncomfortable because it was such a bad situation. “We weren’t playing well. I remember as a kid watching World Cups and Euros where we crashed out against teams we shouldn’t have gone out to and I remember thinking: ‘Wow, I’m about to be a part of one of those moments.’ It shakes up the whole of English football.”
England’s path to the final was fraught with difficulty, requiring Bellingham’s dramatic last-minute overhead kick to force extra time against Slovakia in the Round of 16, penalties to secure victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals, and another last-minute goal to overcome the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
Bellingham’s crucial goal against Slovakia remains a highlight in England’s tournament history; however, he expressed that the circumstances surrounding it dampen the moment’s glory. He recalled, “He is a top guy, he can get along with anyone, can have conversations with anyone,”
He continued, “He can be a bit loud. We have debates that turn into arguments a lot. But we get on like brothers, to be fair. “The manager has made it very clear in a lot of the times where he has spoken that we are playing for the same position. I know that has eased up a bit more now that he sees me playing more positions and Morgs playing more positions, but I honestly have no ill feelings when he is playing and I’m not playing.”
As England prepares for their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday, Bellingham finds himself in a competitive battle for a starting position against Morgan Rogers for the No 10 role. The two players share a close bond, having grown up in the same area of the West Midlands and played youth football together.
Bellingham bolstered his case for the starting role with a strong performance in the final warm-up match against Costa Rica, asserting that there are no tensions between himself and Rogers.
“He is a top guy, he can get along with anyone, can have conversations with anyone,” Bellingham stated. “He can be a bit loud. We have debates that turn into arguments a lot. But we get on like brothers, to be fair.”
“The manager has made it very clear in a lot of the times where he has spoken that we are playing for the same position. I know that has eased up a bit more now that he sees me playing more positions and Morgs playing more positions, but I honestly have no ill feelings when he is playing and I’m not playing.”
