Bellingham’s humility shines after goalless draw against Ghana
Jude Bellingham displayed notable humility following England’s goalless draw with Ghana, stating he should not have received the Man of the Match award, reports BritPanorama.
The 22-year-old Real Madrid midfielder received the accolade after a challenging match in Boston, but he insisted the recognition should have gone to one of Ghana’s players who defended effectively. “I didn’t deserve it, to be honest,” Bellingham remarked to FIFA’s in-house media. “It probably should have gone to one of their lads who defended so well.”
Bellingham acknowledged his struggle against Ghana’s solid defensive setup during the match. “Had a couple of moments, it was hard to get into the game and I’m grateful for whoever voted, but it probably should have gone to one of their lads who defended so well. So fair play to them,” he added.
Tempers flared during the halftime break after Bellingham’s late tackle on Ghana’s Jerome Opoku led to a confrontation with Ghanaian manager Carlos Queiroz. The coach explained that he had intended to calm Bellingham down due to the potential for a yellow or red card, citing that “football is something for brave people – not for people dancing in tuxedos.”
England’s performance continued a troubling trend, marking their second consecutive draw in the group stage of a major tournament. This pattern has become all too familiar, with a similar draw against Scotland during Euro 2020 lingering in the team’s recent history.
Bellingham observed this recurring theme with a wry smile, noting, “Like always it is second game fever isn’t it with England. Win the first one, do well, and then draw the second one. But it’s okay.” This follows an impressive opening victory against Croatia where England won 4-2, with Bellingham contributing a goal.
Despite the underwhelming outcome against Ghana, Bellingham urged the team and supporters to maintain perspective. “It’s important for us and for you guys as well, not to get too negative, not to get too het up on it,” he stated. “We’ll prepare, we’ll watch the footage, see where we could have been better and prepare for Panama. So, no worries, no stress, no drama at all.”
England currently tops Group L and can secure first place with a victory against Panama on Saturday. His teammate Declan Rice reinforced that sentiment, advising against negativity in light of the draw. “Loads of top nations drew their first game, so there’s no need to be negative. We need to stay positive, keep going and recover before the next match,” he told the BBC.
Ghana’s resilient performance not only exemplified their tactical discipline but also positioned them favorably as they gear up to face Croatia, confident in their knockout stage aspirations.
