Southgate says England ‘doesn’t put everything on Bellingham’

Gareth Southgate is happy with Jude Bellingham joining the England squad after the midfielder’s successful season with Real Madrid, culminating in a Champions League victory. Southgate emphasized that the team would not place undue pressure on Bellingham, despite his impressive form and potential to inspire the squad.

England recently faced a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Iceland in their final friendly match ahead of Euro 2024, held at Wembley. Bellingham was the last player to join the 26-man squad, having been granted additional time off following his Champions League triumph.

When asked about Bellingham’s potential impact on the team, Southgate acknowledged the midfielder’s abilities but stressed the importance of collective effort: “I’m sure he will [help lift the squad], but it is not his responsibility to do that. I’m sure he is [capable of handling the pressure], but we are not putting everything on Jude. We’ve got a lot of good players, and it is a collective thing to go and try to win this tournament.”

Gareth Southgate is excited to welcome Jude Bellingham into the England camp after the midfielder won the Champions League with Real Madrid but said “we are not putting everything on” him. pic.twitter.com/g89IYbBV7J

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Southgate praised Bellingham’s mentality and the positive influence he is expected to have on the group: “He is, of course, a player with a fabulous mentality and will have a big impact on the whole group.”