Jude Bellingham sealed the victory of ‘The Three Lions’ who take the sole lead in Group C
For the first time holder in the Euro Cupreduced to 55 minutes in their three previous games in this competition in 2021, Jude Bellingham decided with a header the practical victory of Englandfar from the shining shine of their names or an alignment with him, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden, waiting to reach the dimension that is assumed, beyond a minimal victory against Serbia.
The jump of jude He has given Real Madrid a scoring dimension that was unthinkable not long ago for the midfielder, today more of a striker than a midfielder, more of an unstoppable finisher than a creator. This Sunday was his 46th game of the course. He has scored 26 goals. In his entire time with Borussia Dortmund and the national team (158 games between them before he joined the white club) he added 25. One less. In 112 more duels.
‘Hey Jude, Hey Judethousands of English people shouted when he was changed in the 85th minute, when he gave way to a centre-half, Mainoo, because Southgate saw everything in danger in the final moments.
Because England he won by his finish. The English team, from whom much more was expected, was not much more. When Gareth Southgate revealed his eleven, the world looked impressed. Foden, Jude Bellingham, Saka and Kane. The symphony sounded perfect, clear, imposing. On the field he reduced his volume tremendously. But it was decisive. Three of them participated in the first goal. She doesn’t even need to play at a high level to be definitive. An incalculable value. It is worth beating certain teams. Is it enough for her to be European champion?
Although a succession of individuals of such magnitude is not an absolute guarantee, there are hardly any teams in the world that have as much power or as much punch in attack as the current English team; runner-up in 2021, among the favorites in 2024. There is no middle ground for her. She has never won this tournament. And there is a lot of pressure.
It is not easy to overflow Serbia in any moment. Far from his past, probably, when he dominated the final phases at the beginning of the Euro Cup, footballers like Kostic (injured before the break), Milinkovic Savic, Vlahovic and Mitrovic describe a group of power up front, which is firm at the back; the option that Stojkovic opted for against the rival level.
From the start, the Balkan team felt inferior, withdrew and waited. He didn’t last even a quarter of an hour. No matter how compact you are, no matter how well you narrow the spaces, England He has so much skill in many of his players that certainties do not exist for any opponent. Suddenly, without perceiving it, without realizing it, the 0-1. That’s how this is England.
The first goal was an unequivocal demonstration. Another long possession. Even Kyle Walker. His pass into space overflowed the left wing of Serbia, the right of the English attack, stopped Saka’s career. His lopsided cross transformed it into the goal, powerful, Jude Bellingham. His arrival was undetectable, between Kane’s unmarking. His header was incontestable.
Since the goal of Jude Bellinghamwho not only scores goals, but plays whatever he wants, with a ease that gives off extraordinary simplicity, England broke the plan Serbia, but he also directed her to a scenario that she didn’t dislike either. Freed from the defensive precautions, invalid since the 13th minute, he dared to take a step forward. To believe it.
And the Balkan team has the equipment to play on the attack, as Vlahovic demonstrated when he tested his forehand. Out. The striker has lessened the impact with which he astonished Europe not long ago. The offense also involves excessive exposure against an opponent of the caliber of the one he faced. Kyle Walker ran around the field to cross, then Bukayo Saka couldn’t find a finisher on another run down the right. Nothing else.
Because, in all the splendor of the names of their starting lineup, England You must also demand more from me. Within the complexity, he lacked consistency in his offense. He did not create a number of chances as his resources presuppose and it overwhelmed him. The next one, well into the second half, was a shot from Alexander Arnold, a center half this Sunday.
Needs more ambition. And he must also adjust in defense, because he granted options that are decisive in greater challenges. She was not sure, between the feeling that the edge of triumph, so minimal, with only a 0-1 in favor, it was so thin that any carelessness would be fatal. He still committed some more England. She didn’t take advantage of it. Serbia, who claimed the VAR and a penalty on Mitrovic. He didn’t seem like it.
By then the British team was already playing with fire, which had the verdict in a Kane header that Rajkovic repelled against the crossbar, but it also required Pickford’s stretch to prevent Vlahovic from making it 1-1, between the ups and downs, already inside the resistance mode you opted for England for the final stretch. Or since much before. Too complacent with a single goal. Of Jude Bellinghamthe leader of the leader of group C of the Euro Cup 2024.
