- Jude Bellingham was the subject of an Adidas advert on the eve of Euro 2024
- Reports said some English players disagreed as it clashed with the team mentality
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: How can England get the best out of Jude Bellingham?
Jude Bellingham’s campaign with Adidas in preparation for Euro 2024 has reportedly caused a stir in the England training camp.
The Three Lions’ long wait for the big prize continues after they suffered a painful 2-1 defeat to Spain in Berlin.
Nico Williams opened the scoring, before Cole Palmer equalised for Gareth Southgate’s men, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring the winning goal.
On the eve of the tournament, Adidas released a nearly two-minute video focused on Bellingham and featuring the Beatles’ timeless hit “Hey Jude.”
The advert featured clips of fans watching England experience historic moments of despair, as well as appearances from former Three Lions stars David Beckham, Ian Wright and Frank Lampard.
Jude Bellingham’s campaign at Adidas is said to have caused discontent among some in the English camp
Former England stars Frank Lampard (left) and David Beckham (right) feature in the promo
Ian Wright was another former Three Lions star to appear, while announcer Laura Woods (right) also featured
The ad was well received by supporters, but according to The AthleticsSome within the English camp felt that Bellingham’s “portrayal as a savior” was “at odds with their collective ethos”.
The same publication reported that the player’s ‘behaviour’ had been a topic of discussion within the coaching staff, with the Real Madrid midfielder well aware that his actions would attract criticism in the British press.
Despite his promotion to the team’s leadership group, his unwillingness to speak out to the media during England’s difficult moments in the tournament was noted – Wayne Rooney argued pointedly in his column that The times last month.
Bellingham’s meteoric rise through the England squad, coupled with his decision to continue his career abroad outside the Premier League, has meant he has few real ties to the club within the squad.
The 21-year-old is friends with Trent Alexander-Arnold, but has no close ties with his teammates.
Bellingham started Euro 2024 strongly after a successful debut season with Real Madrid.
The 21-year-old scored the only goal against Serbia but was criticised for his performances against Denmark and Slovenia.
The midfielder then scored a stunning overhead kick to keep England alive in the last 16 of their match against Slovakia, forcing extra time.
Bellingham played a part in England’s equaliser in the final on Sunday after Williams had put Spain ahead.
Bukayo Saka found the midfielder, who despite his poor balance was able to lay the ball back to Palmer, who scored a superb equaliser.
After the match, Bellingham described the defeat as “brutal” and “heartbreaking”
Some within the England camp were angry at Bellingham’s ‘portrayal as England’s saviour’
Bellingham is friends with Trent Alexander-Arnold, but otherwise has no close ties with his teammates.
“To lose like that is really brutal,” he told reporters. “Again, we probably didn’t play our best game, but there were definitely some good moments and we felt like we were getting back into the game, and then to get a bit of a blow with that late goal… it’s heartbreaking.
‘We all wanted nothing more than to make history and make the people of England proud, but we never managed to do that. We didn’t deliver.’