Jude Bellingham has warned that England’s players need to “feel loved” if they are to finally win the World Cup this summer – a message born from the bitter lessons of a disconnected Euro 2024 campaign.
The Real Madrid midfielder, who felt he became a scapegoat for England’s failure to win that tournament, admitted the squad was “not quite connected” during the Euros. Speaking on England’s Lions’ Den show, he said: “At the Euros we got some things a little bit wrong off the pitch. I don’t feel like the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons. Expectation was part of it.”
“Jude Bellingham says England players need to 'feel loved' to win World Cup.”
Now, as the Three Lions prepare for their opening World Cup match against Croatia in Arlington, Texas next Wednesday, Bellingham insists the mood has shifted. The tournament in North America – hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico – began on Thursday with Mexico beating South Africa 2-0, but England’s campaign does not start until next week.
Bellingham, a key part of the side that lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain, reflected on the weight of expectation that followed England’s runs to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the 2022 quarter-finals. “We were not playing particularly well so even when we were winning you didn’t get the feeling you were as happy as you should be,” he said. “There has to be that element of relentless and wanting to win but it is the nature of football that wins go out of the system quickly and we should hold on to that moment a little more.”
The midfielder emphasised the importance of every player feeling valued, pointing to the unpredictability of knockout football. “The guy who scores the winning goal in the World Cup final isn’t always the one you’d bet your house on so you’ve always got to be ready, everyone’s got to feel loved and feel a huge part of the team. The other thing is just to enjoy it.”
Bellingham’s England teammate Morgan Rogers, who could compete with him for the number 10 role, reinforced the sense of unity. “We are really aligned and it is really easy and seamless for anyone to fit in the group. Wherever you are from, wherever you play, ages – it doesn’t matter in this group. It is a joy to be here.”