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The Real Madrid man netted the game’s only goal as Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions underwhelmed in their European Championship opener.
Jude Bellingham has defended England’s strategy in their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia on Sunday.
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21:52 - 16.06.2024
EURO 2024: Ballon d‘Or favourite Bellingham heads England to victory vs Serbia
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham proved the difference as England kicked off EURO 2024 with a win.
Serbia vs England
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The Real Madrid superstar notched the game’s only goal in the game’s 13th minute, but the Three Lions could not build on that advantage after the break.
Gareth Southgate’s men were criticised for taking their foot off the gas in the second half, with observers wanting the competition’s co-favourites to flex their muscles against Serbia.
Bellingham's header saw him become the first Three Lions player to score at the World Cup and European Championship while playing for a club outside England, as he became the first European player to feature at three major international competitions before turning 21, having appeared at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.
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What Bellingham said after Sunday’s drab Serbia-England match
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08:44 - 17.06.2024
Euro 2024: 3 England-Serbia stats that underscored drab affair in Gelsenkirchen
Jude Bellingham’s first-half header won the game for the Three Lions, but observers criticised Gareth Southgate’s approach.
The Ballon d’Or contender was measured after the game, pointing to the team’s ability to take the game to the opposition and their resilience after the interlude.
“The first half shows why we can score goals against any team and the second half shows why we can keep clean sheet against any team,” said Bellingham after Sunday’s 1-0 win.
“Obviously commonly with our team there’s always a negative theme around our games, and sometimes rightly so, but I think in this case you take the positives from the fact that, okay, maybe we had to hold on at times and suffer a little bit, but we kept a clean sheet and when you keep a clean sheet all you have to do is score one goal to win the game. It’s three points.
“This team is still so new and gelling together with every game, so I think inside the changing room we’ll be happy with that. Of course there’ll be negatives that we want to kind of rub out, but overall I’m pleased with that performance.”
What comes next?
England face Denmark on June 20, keen to secure their place in the first knockout round before taking on Slovenia five days later.
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