I Have Nothing But Respect For Gareth Southgate – Bellingham

England midfielder, Jude Bellingham has come out to admit that the Three Lions will have to deliver results at some point. He recently had his say while speaking to the press, and fans have been reacting.

According to him, he and his teammates sacrificed a lot throughout the week leading up to the final, but they just did not play their best game vs Spain in the final.

Bellingham added that he has nothing but respect for Gareth Southgate for giving him his debut in the squad.

His words, “We sacrificed a lot throughout the last week, it’s so tough these days with the crazy schedules and then coming together for the end of the season, for one last tournament, it’s difficult on the body. Mentally, and physically you are exhausted but for our country, we wanted to give everything and then to lose in that way is really cruel.

Again, we probably didn’t play our best game but there were definitely some good moments. We felt like we got back into the game and then to kind of be sucker-punched with the late goal. It’s heartbreaking. We all wanted nothing more than to make history and to make the people of England proud and we haven’t managed to do it. We didn’t quite deliver. There are reasons for that. I’m sure as a team and going forward we will analyse it.

But yeah, I think, it’s still a young group. It’s really disappointing because at some point we do have to deliver. But there are experiences and there are things from this tournament going forward. I suppose if you look at everything negatively, nothing will ever change. It’s important we pick the positives and the negatives together and find a way to one day get England over the line.”

On Southgate, “For me, it’s down to the manager and what the FA decide. I’ve got nothing but respect for Gareth giving me my debut in the squad, made me feel very at home. e is someone who, I think, in the last year or two as well, our relationship’s kind of gone a little bit past football, where I feel like I can open up to him a lot and I think that speaks volumes of the kind of man he is as well.

Whatever happens with Gareth, I’ll always respect him. If he stays, then I’ll be even more determined to win something for him because he deserves it. Sometimes the numbers and the kind of statistics, the records don’t lie, he’s been our most successful manager since 1966. So whatever he decides, he will always have my respect and my love.”

WOW.

Jude Victor William Bellingham (born 29 June 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Real Madrid and the England national team.

Bellingham joined Birmingham City as an under-8, became the club’s youngest ever first-team player when he made his senior debut in August 2019, at the age of 16 years, 38 days, and played regularly during the 2019–20 season. He joined Borussia Dortmund in July 2020, and in his first appearance became their youngest ever goalscorer. Over three seasons with the club he made 132 appearances, was a member of their 2020–21 DFB-Pokal-winning team, and helped them finish as runners-up in the 2022–23 Bundesliga. He signed for Real Madrid in June 2023.

Jude Victor William Bellingham was born on 29 June 2003 in Stourbridge, in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, the eldest son of Denise and Mark Bellingham. His father Mark was, until 2022, a sergeant in the West Midlands Police, and a prolific goalscorer in non-League football.

Bellingham’s younger brother, Jobe, is also a footballer. Bellingham attended Priory School in Edgbaston, Birmingham.