Jude Bellingham Felt Like England\'s \'Scapegoat\' At Euro 2024
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role in the Madrid team has changed since the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, with Bellingham now playing in a more withdrawn role.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.\"