Dietmar Hamann has claimed that a potential ban for Jude Bellingham, following his X-rated gesture after England’s dramatic victory against Slovakia, would be a ‘blessing for Gareth Southgate‘.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who scored a sunning over-head kick equaliser in the 95th minute of England’s last 16 tie against Slovakia on Sunday, is currently under investigation by UEFA after he appeared to grab his genitals as he celebrated his goal.
Mail Sport reported on Tuesday that UEFA had written to the Real Madrid midfielder asking him to explain the action and gave the England star three days to respond, with the Real Madrid star having previously stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the gesture was an ‘inside joke towards some close friends who were at the game.’
Despite his heroics on Sunday, some have raised concerns over the England star’s performances at Euro 2024, with some, including Hamann, claiming that Bellingham has not been up to scratch, and should be dropped, along with Phil Foden and Harry Kane.
However, it remains unclear whether Bellingham will receive a ban for the gesture, with the midfielder set to learn his fate prior to England’s crunch quarter-final clash against Switzerland on Saturday.
But former Germany international, Hamann, 50, has insisted that should Bellingham receive a ban, it might come as a ‘blessing’ for England manager Gareth Southgate, who has been scrutinised for his team selections of late.
‘Gareth Southgate should have made the decision earlier to take out Bellingham or Phil Foden,’ he said to BILD.
‘Now he may be forced to be lucky if Bellingham is suspended. If he has to sit out, that might even be a blessing. That might even help the team. Something has to happen.’
The former defensive midfielder, who won 59 caps for Germany, also took aim at Bellingham’s behaviour.
After the England star had scored his sensational over-head kick, he had shouted ‘Who else?’ to fans in the stadium, a celebration that the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star did not like.
‘I don’t like his behaviour,’ Hamann said. ‘There was his statement two and a half years ago in Dortmund about referee Felix Zwayer, where he got away with a fine, but in my opinion, should have been banned.’
In December 2021, Bellingham had criticised Zwayer after Borussia Dortmund had suffered a 3-2 defeat by Bayern Munich. The former Dortmund star stated: ‘You give a referee who has postponed games before the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?’
Bellingham previously stated that his ‘who else’ celebration was down to ‘the adrenaline rush’ he experienced after scoring that sensational over-head kick.
‘It’s a feeling that is like no other,’ Bellingham said during a press conference after the match, speaking on his stunning equaliser. ‘In international football, in knockout football, it’s even a worse feeling, because you’re 30 seconds from going home, having to listen to all the rubbish, feeling like you have let a nation of people down.
‘In one kick of the ball, everything can change. It’s a feeling I don’t like to have but when it’s done, it feels great.’
But Hamann added: ‘Without your colleagues you are nothing – and if he then stands up and says that, then I would be interested to hear what his teammates say. Apart from his goals, he was not seen in the first four games.
‘I would wait and see where he is in 2 or 3 years. We don’t need to talk about the fact that he is a talented player, but some things have happened that you shouldn’t do.’
More to follow…