After his first season with Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham showcased the true spirit of Los Blancos by representing England in Euro 2024. Bellingham is the third Real Madrid player in history to participate in the Euros for England, following David Beckham (2004) and Steve McManaman (2000). However, the journey of the 2003-born youngster with the Three Lions at Euro 2024 may differ from his predecessors, as Bellingham brings the “DNA” of Real Madrid to the national team.

Saving both England and Real Madrid
The “DNA” of Real Madrid can be understood as their knack for scoring decisive goals in the final minutes of matches or staging comebacks. Winning in the style of Real Madrid’s “DNA” may not always impress all spectators initially, but ultimately, the Spanish royal club achieves what matters most: victories or crucial points.

In the season preceding Euro 2024 (2023/24), Bellingham’s debut season with Real Madrid, the €103 million signing shone brightly with 36 goal contributions (23 goals and 13 assists), winning both the Best Young Player in the Champions League and the Best Player in La Liga awards.

Out of Bellingham’s 36 standout performances at Santiago Bernabeu last season, 17 instances occurred either after the 80th minute, involved overturning a deficit for Carlo Ancelotti’s team, or decided the match outcome and dashed opponents’ hopes of equalizing. Beyond the club level, the former Borussia Dortmund star also brought the “DNA” of Real Madrid to England at Euro 2024. In the 90+5th minute, the crucial stoppage-time moment in the round of 16 against Slovakia, with England trailing and facing early elimination, Bellingham stepped up with a stunning bicycle kick goal. His goal left Martin Dubravka rooted to the spot, helpless as the ball flew into the net, reviving Gareth Southgate’s squad from the brink.

This was not Bellingham’s first instance of “rescuing” England in this year’s Euros. In their opening match on June 17th, the Real Madrid prodigy scored the lone goal, securing three points against Serbia. As of the Round of 16, Bellingham, along with captain Harry Kane, leads England’s goal-scoring tally with two goals each.

A late birthday goal and more
Bellingham was born on June 29, 2003. The match between England and Slovakia took place on June 30. His goal in this match could be seen as a belated birthday gift to himself, akin to his late-match goals for Real Madrid last season.

This goal not only marked Bellingham’s 21st birthday but also relieved some of the pressure on the Englishman. Before breaking Slovakia’s deadlock, Bellingham faced mixed reviews. Some experts suggested that the number 10 had been ineffective in England’s draws against Denmark (1-1) and Slovenia (0-0) in the group stage.

British media outlets (ESPN, Daily Mail, The Guardian, etc.) also sparked debates about whether Bellingham deserved to continue starting or not. Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian even wrote, “England need change, specifically to drop Bellingham from the starting lineup.”

Even into the final 15 minutes of the match, Bellingham remained a topic of debate. Evidence of this was seen in Gareth Southgate’s post-match press conference, where the England manager admitted considering substituting the 21-year-old midfielder around the 75th minute mark. However, it was not until the 106th minute of extra time that Bellingham was eventually substituted (making way for Ezri Konsa).

Ultimately, Bellingham ignited England’s spirits. The Real Madrid academy star also pocketed the Man of the Match award on his 21st birthday, amid scrutiny. After the match, Bellingham responded to criticism directed at him, much as he had done at Real Madrid earlier in the 2023/24 season. Back then, when he first arrived at Bernabeu, questions were raised about the adaptability of a 20-year-old in his debut season in Spain. In other words, doubts lingered about Bellingham’s experience. However, not only did he quickly integrate into his new environment, but the midfielder born in 2003 also continuously scored goals for both his club and national team.

A different ending for Bellingham?
Bellingham is not the first Real Madrid star to feature in England’s Euro squad. Previously, McManaman and Beckham also had this honor. However, their respective Euro campaigns coincided with forgettable outcomes.

McManaman scored once against Portugal in Euro 2000 but couldn’t help Kevin Keegan’s team progress beyond the group stage. After three matches, England finished third in Group A with 3 points, one point behind Romania in second place. McManaman might have only dreamed of seeing his club teammates Nicolas Anelka and Christian Karembeu lift the trophy with France.

Beckham, England’s captain at Euro 2004, also faced disappointment. He missed the first penalty shootout in the quarterfinals against Portugal. Beckham’s skyward shot was one of the reasons England lost and failed to reach the semifinals. The former Manchester United star was labeled the “culprit” for England’s failure and bore the brunt of public criticism. Earlier in the group stage, Beckham also missed a penalty in the 73rd minute against France, contributing to a 1-2 defeat. Euro 2004 remains one of Beckham’s most disappointing tournaments.

Returning to 2024, will Bellingham’s ending be different from McManaman’s and Beckham’s? Can the 2003-born youngster, embodying the “DNA” of Real Madrid, help England win Euro 2024, similar to how he contributed to President Florentino Perez’s club winning the Champions League?