Gareth Southgate responds to Jude Bellingham’s crotch grab evasion

Do you really support
independent journalism

Find out moreClose

Our mission is to provide unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds the powerful to account and exposes the truth.

Whether it’s $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us in practicing journalism without an agenda.

Gareth Southgate believes it was a “sensible” decision not to ban Jude Bellingham for his groin-grabbing celebration against Slovakia, stressing that the midfielder showed great maturity in his response to his eventful life.

The midfielder was found guilty by UEFA of “breaching the basic rules of good conduct” and fined €30,000 and given a one-match ban, suspended for one year, which means he is free to play in England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday.

England manager Southgate believes the Real Madrid player would have been a worse player if he hadn’t reacted so emotionally. He also believes UEFA did the right thing by not negotiating a harsher punishment.

He said: “I think it’s a sensible decision. It’s clearly an unprecedented moment in a person’s life to score a goal like that in the 96th minute. I don’t know how I would have reacted in that moment if I had been that age.”

“I’m so aware of all his accomplishments and the spotlight on his world. At this age – or any age – nobody’s perfect. At 21, sometimes you react emotionally. Without those emotions, I don’t think you’re the type of player he is. So I think he actually handles everything so well.”

Bellingham is just one yellow card away from being banned for a possible Euro 2024 semi-final and Southgate said he would speak to his joint top scorer in that tournament.

But he added: “Jude is an incredible kid to work with. His maturity, how he handles everything that’s put in front of him. He has the ability to influence games in the most important moments. He has the maturity to deal with a world that’s quite different to everyone else on the team.”

“I have a really good relationship with him. We talk to each other, like I talk to all the guys. But I know he’s in the spotlight and I think he knows I’m there to support him and help him as much as I can, as all the players would feel.

“I’m so pleased with how he responded in the last game to a couple of quieter games that became a crisis in his world. He’s highly motivated to help us win.”