'I felt I was a bit mistreated' - Jude Bellingham discusses the feeling after England loss in the Euro 2024 final

Jude Bellingham claimed "the smile is back" with the national squad, although acknowledging that he felt like "a scapegoat" following England's loss in the Euro 2024 final last summer. Following the retirement of previous manager Gareth Southgate, 21-year-old Real Madrid star Bellingham made an impression in England's Nations League matches in October and November while playing under interim head coach Lee Carsley. 

In an interview with Jude Bellingham prior to Madrid's Champions League match against Liverpool on Wednesday, Thomas Tuchel, who will now lead England starting in January 2025, expressed his displeasure with certain parts of the media's coverage of the Euro 2024 campaign. 

"I lost my smile because I felt I was a bit mistreated, compared to what I contributed," Bellingham told his pre-match a news conference. "I felt a bit of a scapegoat. I hadn't lost my smile in a Madrid shirt. I'm the luckiest lad in the world. It was more to do with how I was treated off the back of the Euros. But the smile is back."

🗣️ Jude Bellingham: “I think I lost my smile a little bit after the EURO. I think I was mistreated in comparison to what I contributed. Perhaps I felt a little bit of a scapegoat. But in general, I haven’t lost my smile at Real Madrid.” pic.twitter.com/WFMDk5CtNr

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) November 26, 2024

This season, Bellingham's club performances have also been questioned, despite the fact that the midfielder has scored in Madrid's previous two La Liga games. Bellingham and Real Madrid have had a mixed start to the 2024–25 season. Despite playing one fewer game than their rivals Barcelona, Los Blancos have been unable to keep up with Barcelona's pace in La Liga, but they have reduced Barcelona's advantage at the top of the table to four points. 

Jude Bellingham's position in the Madrid squad has evolved

Bellingham's position in the Madrid squad has evolved since Kylian Mbappe joined, and he now plays a more reserved role. Mbappe, who has only scored two goals in his past eight appearances, has also struggled to adjust to life at Real Madrid. The midfield player has started all four games after missing England's first two appearances after Euro 2024, which were Nations League wins over Finland and the Republic of Ireland. Bellingham finished third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or, behind Manchester City champion Rodri and Madrid teammate Vinicius Junior.