Jude Bellingham has opened up on his match-winning display for England against Serbia as the Three Lions earned all three points in their opening game at Euro 2024.
The Real Madrid ace’s bullet header was the difference between the two sides in their Group C encounter as England held on to the win following a frosty second half.
The 20-year-old was the shining star of the game but he said after the contest that his form was down to his first season with Los Blancos.
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Bellingham joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in an £88 million deal last year and went on to score 17 goals from his first 20 matches in Spain.
The youngster has admitted that he wanted to continue his trajectory with the national team.
Speaking to BBC Sport after Sunday’s game, he said: “They [Serbia] are very tough side, very robust. It was important that we prepared well for this game. We tried to keep to our standards and we did that. It’s positive inside the camp – and on to the next one.”
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Jude Bellingham in action for Real Madrid against former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Striker Harry Kane, who hit the bar for England but ultimately failed to find the net, sung the praises of Bellingham following the game, too.
The Bayern Munich striker said of the former Birmingham City midfielder: “He’s an unbelievable player. He deserves all the praise he’s getting at the moment. For a player in his position you need goals and assists and he does just that.”
Kane revealed that he had to drop deeper for this game, but admitted he was happy for getting three points on the board.
“It was about getting off to a good start,” he said. “We knew it would be a tough game but I thought we dealt with it really well. Each game will be different. Today was more about holding the ball up and seeing the game out.
“Overall I thought we deserved the win. Serbia changed the pressure in the second half, they went man to man. But a clean sheet in any game is good.”
More Euro 2024 stories
We have a guide on how to get Euro 2024 tickets if you’re still looking to go to the tournament. We have the run-down on Euro 2024 stadiums, with info on host cities, capacities, and everything you need to know.
We have a list of the Euro 2024 favourites, with best odds on nations to win European Championship in Germany, while these are the best Euros games ever and these are the best pundits ever. With England set to be one of the favourites, meanwhile, we’ve analysed what the pathway to the final could look like for the Three Lions.
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