Savior of England with a sublime acrobatic return, at the end of added time in a stifling round of 16 against Slovakia (2-1), Jude Bellingham celebrated it all in a much less elegant manner. If he clarified his act on X (formerly Twitter) after the match, his obscene gesture could still cost him a sanction from UEFA.
Complete breakdown. While England, the big favourite before the start of Euro 2024, was already eliminated from the competition in the round of 16 against Slovakia, a miraculous acrobatic overhead kick by Jude Bellingham at the very end of added time (90+5) brought the Three Lions back into the match (won 2-1 in extra time with a goal from Harry Kane).
On cloud nine, the 21-year-old celebrated in every way possible in a smouldering Veltins-Arena packed with England fans. But as he repositioned himself for the Slovakian kick-off, one of his final gestures towards the Slovakian substitutes’ bench area sparked controversy. A video widely shared on social media showed Bellingham repeatedly making gestures with his hands at his crotch.
An obscene gesture that the Englishman immediately tried to justify on his social networks, directly after the match: “A private joke aimed at some close friends who were present at the match. I have nothing but respect for the Slovakian team and for the way they played tonight.”
A risk of suspension according to UEFA regulations
And despite these justifications, Merengue risks sanction from UEFA according to The Athletic. The regulations of the governing body of European football indicate that any “obscene, offensive or insulting gesture” is punishable by a red card.
The disciplinary committee has still not commented on the incident and is awaiting the report from the referee and other officials before making a decision.
A celebration which is more or less reminiscent of that carried out by Cristiano Ronaldo during the Champions League match between Juventus and Atletico de Madrid in 2019. The latter had also cost a simple fine to the Portuguese star who had known avoid suspension from UEFA.
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