Jude Bellingham could be deprived of England’s quarter-final against Switzerland after an obscene gesture during his equalizing goal on Sunday against Slovenia (2-1 ap).
Will England be deprived of its hero? Author of a sublime acrobatic return, Jude Bellingham equalized after added time on Sunday against Slovakia in the round of 16 of Euro 2024 (2-1 after). A goal from elsewhere which allowed the English selection to snatch extra time, where Harry Kane offered qualification to his team, and to avoid premature elimination. And after his miraculous achievement, the Real Madrid player did not hide his joy with several celebrations, including one which sparked controversy.
As he was about to take his place, Jude Bellingham attracted attention with an obscene gesture towards the Slovakian bench. According to images from a video posted on social networks, he mimed a gesture by placing one of his hands at the level of his crotch. Faced with the scale of the reactions, the England number 10 justified his gesture, assuring that it was not aimed at the Slovakians.
“A private joke aimed at a few close friends who were present at the match. Nothing but respect for the way the Slovakia team played tonight,” he posted on account X (formerly Twitter). But Jude Bellingham faces sanctions, according to The Athletic. UEFA regulations stipulate that any “obscene gesture” or any “offensive or insulting action” can be punished with a red card. The disciplinary committee waits to read the report of the referee and the delegates before deciding on a possible sanction.
And it could range from a one or more match suspension, which would deprive Jude Bellingham of the quarter-final, next Saturday, against Switzerland, to a simple fine. Like Cristiano Ronaldo who was guilty of a similar gesture during a Champions League match with Juventus Turin against Atlético Madrid, in 2019.
