Jude Bellingham has quoted former American president Theodore Roosevelt in response to his critics after scoring a crucial equaliser six minutes into stoppage time during England‘s Euro 2024 round of 16 win against Slovakia.
Bellingham, who marked his 21st birthday on Saturday, saved England from defeat with a scissor-kick goal with just seconds remaining in Sunday’s game in Gelsenkirchen.
The Real Madrid midfielder turned away and mouthed ‘Who Else?’ as he celebrated his goal which took the tie into extra-time before England captain Harry Kane headed a winning goal to seal a 2-1 win and secure a quarterfinal spot against Switzerland on Saturday.
After a series of poor performances in Germany, Bellingham had been under pressure to live up to his reputation as one of the game’s greatest young talents for Gareth Southgate’s side.
Following his goal-scoring contribution, Bellingham posted an extract of ‘The Man In the Arena,’ part of a speech made famous by Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, after it was delivered in Paris in 1910.
Bellingham posted on Instragram: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.
“But who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause.
“Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Bellingham said in his post-match interview that playing for England is “difficult” and talked of a “pile on” of criticism.
“Playing for England is an enjoyable feeling but it’s also a lot of pressure,” he said.
“You hear people talk a lot of rubbish. It’s nice when you can deliver and give them a little bit back.
“It’s very difficult when you talk in press conferences and interviews to talk as openly as footballers want to because they’re always judged. For me, football, being on the pitch, scoring goals and celebrating is my release.
“People talk a lot. You do have to take it personally a little bit. We work so hard at this game.
“We come in every day, we work hard to put on a performance for the fans, sometimes it doesn’t go well and sometimes it feels like there’s a a bit of a pile on, it’s not nice to hear.
“But you can always use it and for moments like that, it’s nice to throw it back to some people.”
England manager Southgate will be forced to make at least one change to his team against Switzerland after defender Marc Guéhi received a yellow card against Slovakia that triggered a one-match suspension for the quarterfinals.
