Jude Bellingham’s brilliance papers over cracks as England book Euro 2024 last-eight spot

GELSENKIRCHEN – England’s quest to end 58 years of hurt at Euro 2024 remains alive – thanks to one moment of Jude Bellingham brilliance, but the Three Lions failed to look like future European champions in sneaking past Slovakia 2-1.

Another embarrassing exit for England at a major tournament was looming in Gelsenkirchen until Bellingham’s acrobatic 95th-minute effort broke Slovak hearts.

A minute into extra time, Harry Kane then completed the comeback to set up a quarter-final meeting with Switzerland on July 6.

However, any England excitement at ending up on the perceived weaker side of the draw was drained away by another turgid performance from Gareth Southgate’s men.

They arrived hyped as pre-tournament favourites owing to a squad stacked with attacking talent, with Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona insisted on the eve of the game that Southgate is working with “the best squad at the Euro”.

However, a team featuring the Bundesliga’s top scorer Kane, the English Premier League’s Player of the Year Phil Foden, and La Liga’s best player and Champions League winner in Bellingham have been laboured in possession and easy to defend against.

Until Bellingham’s late intervention, England had scored just two goals in four games, while the makeshift backline was also exploited by Slovakia early on.

The side, 40 places below England in the world rankings, had already squandered two big chances before Ivan Schranz strolled through the heart of the Three Lions’ defence to slot home his third goal of the tournament on 25 minutes.

England fans dominated all but a small section of the 50,000 capacity Arena AufSchalke and made their disillusionment heard as boos greeted the half-time whistle.

Southgate’s men marginally improved after the break but were braced for a severe outpouring of rage until Bellingham’s brilliance allowed him to answer his critics after two underwhelming performances against Denmark and Slovenia.

“Playing for England, it’s a lot of pleasure but you also hear a lot of people talk a lot of rubbish. It’s nice when you deliver, you can give them a little bit back,” said the Real Madrid star of his goal celebration.

“For me playing football, being on the pitch, scoring goals is my release and it’s maybe a message to a few people.”

Southgate praised Bellingham, who has had to shoulder heavy expectations from fans after his remarkable season at Real and had only just turned 21 on June 29.

“Two hugely important goals in this tournament already. He’s a great boy. He’s super to work with, wants to do well,” he said.

“And also, he knows that we’re trying to help him through all of these challenges and hurdles that the different environment of the national team brings, because it is a different environment.”

The 53-year-old was more understanding of the wave of criticism that is still set to come his side’s way before they face the Swiss in Dusseldorf.

“We’re putting a plaster over things and giving young players opportunities. We’re somehow finding a way,” he said.

“I can imagine how everyone is going to react even though we’ve won, but we are still in there. The one thing that cannot be questioned is the desire, the commitment, the character.”

His rigidity around substitutions was the most glaring question, particularly the introduction of Ivan Toney in the 94th minute.

The Brentford striker looked furious with the manager as he prepared to come on.

The fact it took 66 minutes for Southgate to make any changes and his stubbornness in starting 10 of the same 11 in all four games has left his judgment open to question.

“I knew Ivan Toney had the hump with me, putting him on. But I said to him, ‘This could be the moment’,” Southgate said of Toney, who eventually set up the winner as he headed the ball on for Kane’s goal.

Coach Calzona said that as hard as it was for Slovakia to swallow a painful defeat, they could hold their heads high with their performance.

“I have no bad words to say because we played a great game against an opponent that is a candidate to win it,” the Italian said.

“It is a great pride to coach such a team. Fantastic group, a unique commitment and attitude. I was lucky enough to meet these guys and they gave me enormous satisfaction.”

Southgate has to find a solution over the next six days to avoid failing again to deliver major tournament glory at his fourth attempt.

Switzerland made light work of beating holders Italy 2-0 on June 29 and are a significant step-up in quality from Slovakia.

However, former England striker Alan Shearer believes there will not be much deviation from the manager as this style has been the team’s identity during Southgate’s reign, and it is on which the Three Lions have delivered their best results.

Shearer wrote in his column for the BBC that upon taking the lead, with just their second shot on target, in extra time, he had expected England to “go and finish the game off”, but instead they sat back straight away, and came under huge pressure.

“It was another hard watch from then on until the final whistle,” he added. “No one wants to see us drop deep like that, but we have to accept that is the way Southgate wants us to play.

“The evidence is there now that this is who we are, and this is our identity in major finals.

“Everyone is crying out for him to give us some attacking football, but his England side have played like this in previous tournaments too – and it got us to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020.

“He is not going to change now.”

Bellingham’s intervention ensures Southgate will take charge of his country for the 100th time in the quarter-finals.

But England will need to be much improved if he is to stay in his job beyond the century mark. AFP, REUTERS