England were headed for a sensational fiasco.
Then superstar Jude Bellingham stepped forward.
But afterwards, all the talk was about a forbidden gesture – for which he can now be punished.
England have been tipped as the big favorites to take home the entire European Football Championship, but the group stage was far from impressive. England did win their group, but not convincingly, and criticism from home has been massive, particularly towards national team captain Gareth Southgate.
Saved England
In the round of 16 against Slovakia, they were in a bad place for a long, long time. England struggled to create chances and found themselves 0-1 down early on, and that result stood all the way past the 90-minute mark. But then superstar Jude Bellingham stepped forward. The 21-year-old, often referred to as the world’s best midfielder, saved England in the opener against Serbia, and now stepped forward again.
After a long throw-in was passed to Bellingham, he responded with a bicycle kick that saved England from a sensational fiasco. In extra time, Harry Kane was able to stay in front early on and head in 2-1, which took England through to the quarter-finals. But afterwards it was mostly about Jude Bellingham – and how he chose to celebrate his redemptive 1-1 goal.
The explanation afterwards
Afterwards, pictures were spread of how Bellingham made a casual kiss, and then went for his sex. Many thought it was an obscene gesture towards the Slovak bench, and it even went so far that Bellingham was forced to take to his social media and deny it, explaining what was really meant.
“An inside joke with some close friends who were at the game. Nothing but respect for the way the Slovakian team played tonight,” he wrote.
But despite Bellingham’s explanation, the superstar can be punished afterwards. According to The Athletic, “obscene gestures” can be punished, and Uefa is now awaiting a referee’s report from the match before any decisions on punishment are made, writes Expressen. England now face Switzerland, who knocked out Italy in the round of 16, in the quarter-finals, in a match played on Saturday.
Sign up for our newsletter
Share