Jude Bellingham felt like he was made out to be the scapegoat after England lost in the Euro 2024 final against Spain. After a breakout season with Real Madrid, Bellingham was inconsistent for England in the tournament and has also struggled to regain his form this season in LaLiga.
\"I lost my smile because I felt I was a bit mistreated, compared to what I contributed,\" Bellingham told his pre-match a news conference. \"I felt a bit of a scapegoat. I hadn\'t lost my smile in a Madrid shirt. I\'m the luckiest lad in the world. It was more to do with how I was treated off the back of the Euros. But the smile is back.\"
\"I felt like I contributed some big moments [with England] and it felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me, especially the days after the final,\" Bellingham added.
\"It wasn\'t a nice feeling. A big criticism was that I didn\'t speak to the media, it was reported I felt like I\'m above it. But I had some personal things going on. I had journalists visit my family, my grandparents. I think that crosses the line of respect, I took that personally and decided to focus on my football. It was personal to me, and I decided to keep my mouth shut.\"
Bellingham\'s role in the Madrid team has changed since the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, with Bellingham now playing in a more withdrawn role.
\"I\'ve filled in in positions, to make sacrifices, just like others have,\" Bellingham said. \"I know where I\'m most effective, I\'ve relayed that to the coach [Carlo Ancelotti]... but if I\'m put in a position, it\'s my responsibility to do well to the best of my ability.\"