England finished top of Group C at the European Championships after a 1-0 win over Serbia, a 1-1 draw with Denmark and a 0-0 draw with Slovenia. Despite their unbeaten record, they have faced criticism for their performances. Bellingham, in particular, has come under fire after a poor showing in their last two group stage games.
Former England star Wayne Rooney has said: “There’s no doubt that Bellingham started the tournament well in the first game, but the last two games have been really poor, really off. For me, he’s looked frustrated, especially against Slovenia, when you saw him putting his hands up. I’ve been in that position and I know what he’s feeling to a degree.”
Rooney continued: “He’s a key player for Real Madrid and a key player for England. So far, I haven’t heard Bellingham say anything. Why is that? He needs to stand up and say something as a key player. So, this is why I think he’s not right. It’s okay to demand more from your teammates, which is what he should be doing.”
After the group stage, some fans have called for Bellingham to be dropped from the starting lineup. England manager Gareth Southgate has said: “I’ll be speaking to my players about that, rather than letting it lie in the papers. It’s a team issue, sometimes it’s the wingers who have a tough game, sometimes it’s the centre-halves. But for me, it’s a question of the team working. The most important thing is that we are getting closer to where we want to be.”
England will face Slovakia in the Round of 16 on July 1st at 00:00.
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