Southgate defends Bellingham, agrees with fine
Gareth Southgate has said that UEFA’s decision to not ban Jude Bellingham from playing in England’s Euro 2024 quarterfinal against Switzerland was “common sense” and that he does not intend to speak to the midfielder about the gesture he made against Slovakia.
Bellingham is available to face Switzerland in Saturday’s match after being given a suspended one-match ban and a €30,000 ($32,518) fine by UEFA for a gesture made during their dramatic round-of-16 win.
Bellingham, 21, celebrated his stunning 95th-minute overhead kick, which forced extra time in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, by kissing his hand and appearing to grab his crotch.
Bellingham subsequently described the incident as “an inside-joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game” but UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) concluded an investigation on Friday by declaring the Real Madrid star had “violated the basic rules of decent conduct.”
“I thought it was a common sense decision,” Southgate told a news conference. “Clearly when you score a goal of the quality that he did at the moment he did at the age he is, you are going to have an incredible rush of adrenaline.
“I think there was no intent in the gesture towards anybody other than the communication he has with his family. So from our perspective, we thought it was a sensible outcome. I speak to players all the time. I don’t feel a particular need to spend time with Jude on that. He is aware of the investigation and he is an intelligent guy.”
The CEDB said in a statement that they had decided “to fine the English Football Association (FA) player Jude Bellingham €30,000 and to suspend him for a total of one UEFA competition match for which he would be otherwise eligible for violating the basic rules of decent conduct.
“Said suspension is not immediately enforced and is subject to a probationary period of one year, starting from the date of the present decision.”
Sources have told ESPN that the FA does not plan to appeal the decision.
The verdict also included separate fines for the FA totalling €11,000 for what the CEDB described as “crowd disturbances” and the “lighting of fireworks.”
Bellingham will now walk something of a disciplinary tightrope with UEFA on alert for any similar gestures over the next 12 months.
Anything deemed a repeat in Dusseldorf would see him banned for a potential semifinal against either Turkey or the Netherlands.
All 26 players trained in Blankenhain on Friday as Gareth Southgate’s side continued its preparations to face Switzerland.
ESPN reported on Wednesday that England have been training with a back three this week as they consider a change of system after a series of disjointed displays despite reaching the last eight.
