Southgate sends reminder to Bellingham over England function at Euro 2024
Gareth Southgate has told Jude Bellingham to forget about being Superman every time he plays for England.
Bellingham has become the heartbeat of the Three Lions side, as part of his meteoric rise to superstardom. The 20-year-old scored the winning goal in England’s opening Group C win over Serbia at Euro 2024.
And the Real Madrid sensation ran the show from start to finish, before being substituted towards the end of the 1-0 triumph in Gelsenkirchen. England will look to Bellingham to lead them again on Thursday when Southgate’s men take on Denmark in Frankfurt.
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At times it feels like Bellingham is wearing a hero’s cape – as well as the famous England shirt with three lions on it. Southgate admits Bellingham is a joy to coach due to his extraordinary talent.
But he’s also aware of the risk of Bellingham trying to do too much at once, and has spoken to the attacking midfielder about his role in the side. Southgate said: “He definitely got 90 minutes of running into 45 (against Serbia).
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“The occasion, the emotion, scoring… he had a phenomenal impact on the game. And the great thing is that he is really coachable. We can sit and chat and talk things through.
“We have got to get the right balance of not losing what he is already bringing, and also, as with all the players, can we refine things a bit. That’s always the challenge. But top players want to be challenged – and need to be challenged as well.
“I don’t think you back away from that. Any top individual in any industry wants to be the best he can possibly be. That’s the great thing with him. He’s really coachable.”
Another win will see England book their place in the last 16. But Southgate will know this is also the game which has to see his decision to keep faith with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden out wide work, if his masterplan to win the Euros is to be believed.
Both were disappointing in the opening game, but Southgate is determined Alexander-Arnold in particular can thrive in midfield alongside Declan Rice. He said: “He’s less likely to be a player who dictates tempo.
“What I do see is that range of passing, and that ability to open up a defence that might be blocking spaces, defending low. He’s somebody that’s going to cause opposition players to be aware that we can play balls in behind them at any point, with fantastic accuracy.
“His understanding of the game is good. All the defensive responsibilities we’ve asked of him, it’s not necessarily been where he’s played for many years, but he’s been really diligent and open to wanting to take that on board.
“We know it’s a work in progress. We know it’s something that’s going to get a lot of attention, as it’s not been the norm. But we feel it’s something that can add to what we’ve got.”
England will come up against a familiar face in the shape of Denmark veteran Christian Eriksen. Southgate added: You know that the quality of his passing, his ability to score goals, the quality of his set plays, is absolutely exceptional.
“It is a real strength for Denmark. He is a player I have huge admiration for.”
