Jude Bellingham had his say on Saturday’s Champions League final. Indeed, it was his assist that set up Vinicius Junior for the goal that sealed Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund. In the biggest match of the season, Bellingham managed to produce something that had an impact on the final scoreline.
And yet Bellingham wasn’t the same player that he had been for much of his debut season at Real Madrid. Dortmund did a good job of restricting the space available to the 20-year-old in the centre of the pitch, and Bellingham was subsequently subdued. He didn’t have much of an influence on the game as a whole. He looked tired.
It would be understandable if Bellingham was feeling the effects of a long season. The midfielder played over 3,300 minutes for Real Madrid in the Champions League and La Liga, and that was with a period of rest for an injury during March. Bellingham put everything into the 2023/24 campaign at club level.
This could be bad news for England, who are counting on Bellingham to be a key figure for them at Euro 2024. Gareth Southgate’s team are expected to be among the favourites to go all the way in Germany this summer. Bellingham has quickly risen to prodigal son status, and is seen as the primary player that can make a difference for the Three Lions in the biggest matches.
While there’s a chance Bellingham will still be sharp enough to play his best soccer at Euro 2024, England must devise a contingency plan just in case they have to cope without the Real Madrid star. Southgate must cover all bases to ensure England have the best possible chance of ending their long wait for a title.
The good news for England is they currently boast one of the deepest squads in international football. If Bellingham has to be rested, Southgate could start Cole Palmer in the number 10 position. Palmer is fresh from an incredible season for Chelsea which saw him find the back of the net 22 times in the Premier League.
Phil Foden was Player of the Year in the Premier League and is most comfortable when deployed in a central position. For England, Foden has generally been used in a wide role, but Bellingham’s absence from the team would open up the central area for the Manchester City playmaker. He could be even more influential.
James Maddison is another central playmaker who could come into the England team if Bellingham drops out. The Tottenham Hotspur star has struggled for consistent form since returning from an injury earlier in the season, but Maddison still has the talent to make an impact at Euro 2024 this summer.
Southgate could even choose to bulk up his midfield unit with Bellingham on the bench. Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton have both made a profound impact for club and country in recent months. They could be deployed in a deeper role alongside Declan Rice to give England security in the centre of the pitch.
Even without Bellingham, England would be among the Euro 2024 frontrunners. This is a golden generation of English talent and Euro 2024 represents the Three Lions’ best opportunity win a major tournament in decades. No other national team in Germany this summer could absorb the absence of a player like Bellingham in the way England could.
Bellingham will join up with the England squad later this week after some time off following Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Dortmund. Southgate recognises the need for the 20-year-old to rest ahead of a landmark summer. “It’s not the most important thing [to be with the group],” said the England boss.
“The most important thing is rest and recovery and we will benefit from that. That is the constraint of international football. You have to work out the most important thing and for Jude, and therefore the team, it is psychologically switching off and recovering.”
This summer could still be the moment Bellingham truly imposes himself on the elite level of international soccer just as he has club soccer over the last 12 months. Even so, Southgate and England must be prepared if the midfielder who struggled through Saturday’s Champions League final also turns up to Euro 2024.
