Trouble in paradise? Jude Bellingham’s rocky relationship with England teammates

There is no denying Jude Bellingham’s talent or timely goals at Euro 2024 for England, scoring the opener against Serbia and a dramatic late equaliser against Slovakia in the round of 16. However, recent reports have suggested his attitude and presence haven’t always been looked upon fondly by his teammates.

While the bulk of the reports come via The Athletic, Wayne Rooney noted in The Times that he felt Bellingham showed his frustration too easily, which could have had a negative effect on his teammates.

Bellingham was reportedly fast-tracked into a leadership position within the England setup, alongside Harry Kane, Kyle Walker and Declan Rice, which reportedly caused some issues within camp given his age and relative inexperience.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

The Athletic’s report continues by suggesting Bellingham refused to fulfill his many media duties despite being part of the leadership group, forcing fringe players such as Anthony Gordon to set up in his stead.

Southgate has done an incredible job uniting England’s squad in a way the nation hasn’t seen for some time. Unfortunately, Bellingham’s “portrayal as a saviour” went against the “collective ethos” the England manager had spent so much time building, per The Athletic.

One critique from The Athletic that seemed exceptionally harsh was casting Bellingham as a lonely figure in the squad, with only Trent Alexander-Arnold considering the Madrid man a friend. Given Bellingham’s rapid ascension to stardom and his career away from England, this should be of no surprise and feels out of place amongst other criticisms.

Worryingly for England fans, this is not the first time Bellingham’s impact on a squad has been criticised by pundits, with Bild reporting after he left Borussia Dortmund, “the Borussia Dortmund dressing room is glad that Jude Bellingham is no longer there. His transfer was probably beneficial for the climate within the dressing room. A kind of mood has built up against the Englishman.”

The report included the anecdote that Bellingham would deliberately delay his post-match walk around the stadium until after the other big stars had finished, to ensure he received the most applause possible.

The English media has a habit of finding flaws in their star players and attempting to knock them down as they reach their peak. Despite the reports probably having some legs, perhaps the time to release them, right after a brutal final loss, isn’t the best. An air of negativity surrounds English football even during the best of times, which certainly can’t help matters.

If Bellingham’s attitude problems are to be believed, it could create a conundrum for whoever is the next England manager. On the one hand, he is undeniably on track to be one of the best in the world, but given the difficulties of tournament football, a harmonious squad environment could be more important than individual talent. What do you think?

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!