Jude Bellingham Channels Cristiano Ronaldo for England’s Euro 2024 Heroics
In a thrilling UEFA Euro 2024 match, England’s Jude Bellingham produced a moment of magic to save his team’s campaign. The Real Madrid midfielder scored a stunning overhead kick in stoppage time to level the scores against Slovakia, before Harry Kane struck in extra-time to secure a quarter-final berth against Switzerland.
Bellingham, who had earlier compared his acrobatic effort to Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic Champions League goal against Juventus in 2018, described the goal as one of the most important and memorable moments of his career so far. “When I was in the air, I thought, ‘I’m six feet off the ground and it’s like Ronaldo!'” the 21-year-old told the FA.
“It was a little bit behind me, but it was a nice contact. Definitely one of the most important and memorable moments of my career so far.”
Had Bellingham not found the back of the net, England would have been heading home from the tournament, with questions raised about manager Gareth Southgate’s future.
The dramatic victory over Slovakia means England will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Saturday, with the Swiss having impressed throughout the tournament so far. Former England defender Gary Neville believes the Three Lions will need to take risks if they are to overcome the Swiss, who have proven to be a tough opponent.
In related news, UEFA has announced that it will open an investigation into an alleged gesture made by Bellingham following his dramatic equaliser. The governing body stated that a “UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector will conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of the basic rules of decent conduct.”
Bellingham, however, has dismissed the claims, stating that the gesture was an “inside joke” towards some close friends who were in attendance at the match. The player has maintained that he has “nothing but respect” for the Slovakia team and their performance.
As the Euro 2024 tournament continues to captivate football fans across the continent, the focus now shifts to England’s quarter-final clash with Switzerland, where Bellingham and his teammates will be looking to secure a place in the semi-finals.
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