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Uefa is to investigate England’s Jude Bellingham for potential indecent conduct after he was seen grabbing his crotch while looking at the crowd following a last-16 victory over Slovakia at Euro 2024.
England enjoyed the narrowest of lucky escapes to secure a 2-1 win, after a last-gasp bicycle kick by Bellingham took the match to extra time, before Harry Kane headed home the winner.
While Bellingham’s aggressive goal celebration was clearly an angry message to England fans, the crotch gesture was viewed by some spectators as an insult to Slovakia. Bellingham, however, said on social media that he was having a laugh with friends.
“An inside joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game. Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight,” he said.
England will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals after they knocked out defending champions Italy with a 2-0 win on Saturday.
Southgate has a number of questions to answer ahead of the quarter-final, and will face an anxious wait over the fitness of Kieran Trippier, who was contending with injury in the build up to the game, and was taken off in the 66th minute after a heavy challenge.
Follow all the latest updates and reaction after England’s last-16 fixture below.
Jude Bellingham faces possible ban over gesture to crowd during England’s Euro 2024 win
Jude Bellingham faces a possible ban at Euro 2024 after Uefa opened an investigation into a gesture he made while celebrating the spectacular overhead kick scored against Slovakia in their last-16 tie on Sunday.
In the aftermath of his goal, Bellingham was seen shouting “Who else?!” as he ran over to England fans after scoring. Video showed the Real Madrid forward then kiss his hand and grab his crotch in a gesture which appeared to be directed towards the side of the pitch.
Sonia Twigg2 July 2024 12:28
Jude Bellingham delivered salvation but he can’t hide England’s huge flaws
“I had belief right the way through that we’d get the goal. I didn’t think it would be as late as it was. I wasn’t ready to go home yet and clearly the players felt the same way.”
Sonia Twigg2 July 2024 12:27
Gareth Southgate’s straitjacket suffocates England again – but one lesson emerges
There was a minute left to run on Gareth Southgate’s reign, the clock ticking down on a dismal tournament that seemed a demoralising end to the second-finest tenure of any England manager.
Until an airborne Jude Bellingham intervened. Until Bellingham underlined that he has that combination of talent, technique and temperament to offer the promise of greatness. There had been reasons for Southgate to replace him: booked for a rash lunge at Lukas Haraslin, he had been unwise enough to lay his hands on the referee. He had endured a poor game.
But there was an instance of brilliance; a bicycle kick, an injury-time equaliser, a lifeline, a goal that may reshape England’s history as well as Southgate’s time in charge.
Sonia Twigg2 July 2024 12:27
Gareth Southgate’s straitjacket suffocates England again – but one lesson emerges
There was a minute left to run on Gareth Southgate’s reign, the clock ticking down on a dismal tournament that seemed a demoralising end to the second-finest tenure of any England manager.
Until an airborne Jude Bellingham intervened. Until Bellingham underlined that he has that combination of talent, technique and temperament to offer the promise of greatness. There had been reasons for Southgate to replace him: booked for a rash lunge at Lukas Haraslin, he had been unwise enough to lay his hands on the referee. He had endured a poor game.
But there was an instance of brilliance; a bicycle kick, an injury-time equaliser, a lifeline, a goal that may reshape England’s history as well as Southgate’s time in charge.
Sonia Twigg2 July 2024 12:26