Before England plays Slovakia in the final 16 of the Euro 2024, Gareth Southgate claims he is “not concerned” about Jude Bellingham‘s fitness.
It comes after the star of the Three Lions revealed that, after their last group match against Slovenia, he felt “absolutely dead.”
England has to find their best form going forward into the knockout stages after a lackluster group stage. Their match against Slovakia starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen.
Bellingham, who turned 21 on Saturday, is among the players hoping for a return to form.
The top player from Real Madrid led his team to victory over Serbia and scored England’s first goal of the competition, but was anonymous in the draws against Denmark and Slovenia.
Some have even suggested benching Bellingham against Slovakia because to the midfielder’s concerning remarks about lacking stamina after Tuesday’s goalless draw.
However, Southgate allayed concerns that one of the country’s best players was too exhausted to play at his best at his pre-match news conference on Saturday.
‘When you are walking off the pitch and have given everything you feel in a certain way, physically and emotionally,’ the manager said when asked about Bellingham’s comments.
‘Jude missed a period at the end of the season with an ankle injury so he will have benefitted from the matches he has had.
‘Of course we have to be mindful of the quality we have to come into the game, freshness might make a difference in the latest stages of matches. But I am not concerned about Jude Bellingham’s condition.
‘Today is a big day for him and a reminder of how well he deals with the expectation around him at a remarkably young age. There are few players who have had to live in that world, his world is different to most 21 year olds.’
Southgate is only expected to make one change to his starting XI, with Kobbie Mainoo set to take Conor Gallagher’s place in midfield after doing so at half-time of the Slovenia draw.