European football governing body, UEFA, is investigating England midfielder Jude Bellingham over his gesture after scoring a late equaliser against Slovakia on Monday, June 30.
In the said Euro 2024 game, Jude Bellingham and his teammates were looking like they were heading back home especially after Slovakia took the lead as early as in the 25th minute of the encounter.
Slovakia maintained the lead throughout the first half and the regulation time before Jude Bellingham brought England back into the game in the 5th minute of additional time.
In the first minute of extra time, Harry Kane stunned the Slovakian fans with the match-winner as the game ended in a 2-1 victory for the Three Lions.
While celebrating his goal, the 21-year-old Bellingham was captured making crotch-grabbing gestures towards the Slovakian bench.
A statement from UEFA earlier on Monday, July 1, claimed the gesture from the Real Madrid midfielder could have violated “the basic rules of decent conduct”. Hence, the incident has been subjected to investigation.
If the Englishman is found guilty, he could be fined or suspended for at least a game or both even though he had said in a social media post that he didn’t mean to disrespect his opponents.
He described the gesture as “An inside-joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game.”
He added, “You hear people talk a lot of rubbish. It’s nice when you can deliver and give them a little bit back.”
If Jude Bellingham is guilty and suspended for a game, he will miss England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final clash against Switzerland on Saturday, July 6.
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