Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham says he has got his smile back after “feeling a bit like the scapegoat” for England’s failure to win Euro 2024 in the summer.
Bellingham scored England’s first goal of the tournament in a 1-0 victory against Serbia, before scoring a 95th-minute overhead-kick equaliser against Slovakia to save Gareth Southgate’s side from elimination in the last 16.
England were eventually defeated 2-1 by Spain as they lost their second European Championship final in three years.
Critics accused England of playing too conservatively in Germany, with Bellingham in particular the target of what he described as a “pile on” from critics.
“I lost my smile a lot playing for England after the Euros as 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 1732645844.
“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.”