Why Jude Bellingham Could be Banned for England v Switzerland
Jude Bellingham stole the show for England with his last-gasp bicycle kick vs Slovakia which took the game to extra time. The Three Lions eventually won the match 2-1 but their key man could now potentially be banned for the quarter-final clash with Switzerland.
It was very nearly a dismal day for Gareth Southgate’s men at Euro 2024 as a 25th-minute strike from Ivan Schranz threatened to send England home. With all hope nearly lost, however, Bellingham popped up with an unforgettable goal.
Harry Kane then bagged the winner in the first minute of extra time, sending his team through into the next stage of the competition. Despite that dramatic reprieve, the Three Lions could be in trouble with reports suggesting their bicycle kick hero could now be banned by UEFA.
Why UEFA Could Ban Bellingham
“Obscene gesture” may land England star in hot water
When Bellingham found the back of the net with his 95th-minute strike, he was unsurprisingly overcome with emotion. Rushing to celebrate, he boldly shouted: “Who else?”
Apparently still feeling the adrenaline in the aftermath of the match, the Real Madrid ace was then accused of making an obscene gesture towards the Slovakia team bench with his hand.
Footage captured the incident and Portuguese outlet A Bola (via Goal) now report that he could be banned when England take on Switzerland. It’s explained UEFA rules dictate that any player making an “obscene gesture” or engaging in “offensive or insulting action” can be handed a ban. European football’s governing body will review the reports of the match referee and officials before taking any action.
Adding to this, journalist Ben Jacobs has confirmed that UEFA’s Disciplinary Inspector will investigate “a potential violation of the basic rules of decent conduct by Jude Bellingham” following his late goal against Slovakia.
What Bellingham Has Said About the Incident
It was an “inside joke” for friends
Bellingham has already publicly responded to any criticism, explaining that it was not a gesture aimed at the Slovakians. Taking to social media, he revealed that it was intended as a joke for some close friends, writing:
With this being the case, it seems unlikely that Bellingham would be banned. That said, being caught on camera making an “obscene gesture” certainly isn’t a good long and he could technically fall foul of UEFA rules – even if his act was not aimed directly at the opposition.
If he is allowed to play, the 21-year-old will almost certainly start in the attacking midfielder role for England against the Swiss. Like many of his teammates, however, Bellingham was poor for the most part against Slovakia, so it will be interesting to see if Southgate mixes things up with his XI next time out.
There have been calls for Cole Palmer to be included, while Kyle Walker’s underwhelming display at right-back could open a return to the team for Trent Alexander-Arnold. And with Phil Foden, Kane and Bellingham all preferring to operate in similar areas of the pitch, there could even be a school of thinking to suggest the team would be more balanced if the Real Madrid star was banned.
That said, given that he has two goals in the competition so far, and has a real knack for popping up with big moments, it would be bold to just simply drop Bellingham.
