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Jude Bellingham showed why he is being hailed as England’s key to Euro 2024 with a brilliant performance and winning goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Serbia. Bellingham is enjoying the best season of his life at Real Madrid and is being hailed as one of the best young players in the world heading into this tournament. The 20-year-old lived up to the hype as his influential performance ensured England’s first major trophy bid in 58 years began in triumphant fashion at the Schalke Arena in Gelsenkirchen. From the moment he burst onto the scene at the age of 16 in Birmingham, Bellingham has been on a phenomenal rise that shows no signs of abating.
Bellingham helped Real Madrid beat his former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final in early June and was named La Liga Player of the Year following his performance in his side’s latest domestic triumph.
Bellingham has scored 19 league goals for Real Madrid this season, showing that he has become a real threat in the box, a valuable weapon who also possesses a fluent passing game and a tireless work rate.
In the first match of Group C against Serbia, he scored in just 13 minutes.
Bellingham started to move in the midfield and passed the ball to the Kyle Walker He then burst into the box, met Bukayo Saka’s cross and fired a beautiful diving header into the net from six yards.
After being mobbed by his team-mates, Bellingham showed his comfort in the spotlight, opening his arms to accept the adoration of the England fans before running to the centre circle to whip up the fans at the other end.
Scoring his first goal in a major tournament for England is nothing new for Bellingham, who scored his first goal against Iran at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Bellingham is the first European player to play in three major tournaments before the age of 21, having previously appeared at Euro 2020 and the last World Cup.
Four years ago, Bellingham became the youngest British player to appear in a major tournament and he is only the second player after Michael Owen to score in both the World Cup and the European Championship before the age of 21.
Despite his young age, Bellingham has already had such an impact on the England team that he was named as one of head coach Gareth Southgate’s four-man ‘leadership group’ ahead of the tournament.
Serbia was completely unable to contain Bellingham and the veterans Nemanja Gudelj He was booked for a rough foul on the midfielder.
Bellingham was no coward; he barged in. Philip Kostick In the heat of the confrontation, he showed his refusal to be intimidated.
56 touches in the first half – England captain had just two Harry Kane ——The never-give-up Bellingham is the driving force of the Three Lions.
England’s European journey began in a city once known as the “City of a Thousand Fires”.
Bellingham lights up the drab surroundings of the industrial heartland of Gelsenkirchen in such a striking way that it’s hard to imagine that the British presence in Germany was anything but a slow process.
In the second half, he still used his excellent running ability to block Serbia’s attack. Although England was a little nervous at the end of the game, they finally held their position.
When he was substituted off in the final stages of the game, the whole crowd stood up and ovated, which was quite fitting.
Bellingham has already created a mural in his hometown of Stourbridge – which could well be upgraded to a statue if England lift the World Cup trophy in Berlin on July 14.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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