‘He could go a really stupid direction’: England hero Jude Bellingham comes under fire on TV in Germany, where old team-mates were glad he left, over his ‘theatrical’ fouls and ‘bad gestures’

England golden boy Jude Bellingham has come under fire in Germany with suggestions he could be taking a ‘very stupid direction’ due to his allegedly arrogant antics on the pitch.

Bellingham, 21, saved the Three Lions from a shock last-16 knockout with a stunning bicycle kick in the fifth minute of injury time. Harry Kane then scored the winning goal in extra time to set up a quarter-final against Switzerland.

Bellingham also made headlines with a rude gesture seconds after finding the net, grabbing his crotch in full view of the Slovakian bench. He quickly took to social media to explain himself, saying the act was a prank aimed at his friends.

Mail sport understands that the 21-year-old, who also hit back at England supporters after the match following criticism of another disappointing performance, will avoid a suspension and is also expected to avoid a fine.

But German experts have criticised his passionate performance, which saw him being signalled to his team-mates, saying it bordered on arrogance.

Bellingham scored an acrobatic bicycle kick to save the Three Lions from Slovakia

He made headlines after making an X-rated gesture to the other bank

Christoph Kramer, who plays for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga and has faced Bellingham on the pitch several times, said ZDF: ‘He is an excellent player. He just has to be careful that he doesn’t start to get stubborn at such a young age.

‘What I always find very bad is when you wave your hands away from your own players. He made a few gestures today, but he has done that in recent games as well.”

‘These theatrical fouls, yellow cards. He stays down, that’s part of football, but…’

Per Mertesacker, formerly of Arsenal, then interrupted him and said: ‘He’s not staying down, he’s rolling around. You don’t have to roll around again to provoke something.’

In response, Kramer added, “The season he played, I give him credit for that. But he still has to be careful that things don’t go in a really stupid direction. I hope he will think about that a bit during the summer holidays.’

Bellingham joined his current club Real Madrid from German side Borussia Dortmund last summer, much to the relief of his old teammates.

Pundit Per Mertesacker accused Bellingham of unnecessary action after being fouled

Another expert warned the midfielder not to be ‘stubborn’ and not to take a ‘stupid’ path

Bellingham produced a passionate performance in the last 16 clash and was shown a yellow card

According to multiple reports Shortly after the bizarre transfer, which could cost as much as £113million, Dortmund’s players were convinced that Bellingham wanted to be the centre of attention and felt he was too hard on them during training and matches.

Despite becoming a fan favorite during his three-year stay, Bellingham is also said to have felt overshadowed by Erling Haaland during the 2021-22 season. In response, he waited a while after the matches to applaud the audience alone.

He quickly became a leading figure in the dressing room and was given the captain’s armband several times during his final campaign with Dortmund. However, his teammates accused him of lack of leadership and moodiness.

There were doubts whether Bellingham deserved to start against Slovakia after, like many of his peers, he struggled to find form this summer. However, the midfielder repaid Southgate’s trust in sensational fashion.

Southgate later revealed he had considered signing Bellingham for fresher legs but stuck with him, pointing to the big moments he has conjured up in his career.

Ahead of the tournament, Three Lions legend Alan Shearer described Bellingham as ‘arrogant’, but insisted this brashness helps him thrive on the pitch.

Bellingham’s former teammates at Borussia Dortmund were reportedly happy to see him leave the club

England legend Alan Shearer branded Bellingham ‘arrogant’ but insisted this was a positive thing

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has praised the player’s ‘humility’ and ‘understanding’

“He’s phenomenal,” Shearer told Betfair. “You can’t help but be incredibly impressed by his stature. He’s got an arrogance in a good way. I don’t say that in a disrespectful way. To be a top player you’ve got to have that something in you.”

Jose Mourinho, however, doesn’t believe Bellingham is arrogant. The player’s now iconic celebration, which sees him standing with his arms aloft, has led some critics to accuse him of arrogance – but the ‘Special One’ is adamant he’s just being confident.

Southgate has also praised Bellingham’s “humility” and “understanding”.

A body language expert, asked by Mail sport By analyzing his mannerisms and comments after the match, it has become clear that his confidence does not stem from ‘ego’.

“The balance between his words and his body language shows the right level of resilience and motivation. He looks like a real, committed player and not a spoiled diva,” said communications specialist Judi James.

Bellingham has established himself as one of the best players in world football, winning the Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid last season. Since making his debut in 2020, he has made 33 caps for England, scoring five goals.