Jude Bellingham and why England might be finding their Euro 2024 form at just the right time

After Bukayo Saka’s fine effort cancelled out Breel Embolo’s opener in Dusseldorf, the two sides could not be separated with the game ending 1-1 after extra time.

England were then perfect in the ensuing shoot-out, scoring all five of their opening penalties for the first time in a major tournament thanks to Cole Palmer, Bellingham, Saka, Ivan Toney and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It was a far cry from the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, where England missed three of their spot-kicks but, while plenty of previous tournaments have also ended in penalty heartache, Gareth Southgate has now overseen three wins in four shoot-outs as manager.

“It’s a first for me to be involved in one, to take one,” said Bellingham.

“I have awful memories kind of growing up and I think the first Euro that I was really interested in was the one against Italy (Euro 2012) with the dink from (Andrea) Pirlo.

“It kind of stains your memory a little bit, you always think ‘England in penalty shoot-outs, I’m not sure’, but it’s really nice to have that experience to add to the locker now.”

The Netherlands now await Southgate’s side in Dortmund on Wednesday night as England look to make it back-to-back Euros finals.

It was a Dutchman who Bellingham credited with setting up the clash as he praised the impact of assistant coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as well as the back-up goalkeepers to Jordan Pickford – whose save from Manuel Akanji proved the difference.

“I was really confident in my preparation, confident in the things I talked through with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, he’s stepped up for us massively,” added Bellingham.

“It’s the work that he does behind closed doors, with the lads being willing to take on that information, that put us in those situations in order to be able to win.

“So this is a massive team effort. Another thing is Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale, Tom Heaton, who have been with us this camp, they’ve been huge in helping us practice the penalties.

“Again, they won’t get the credit they deserve but essentially, if they don’t put in the right effort, you don’t have the right practice to go out and execute.

“So many people are involved in this win. It’s a massive team win.”

Bellingham’s tournament has been a topsy-turvy one so far, the Real Madrid man having scored twice including a stoppage-time overhead kick to draw England level with Slovakia in the last 16.

But he has also struggled at times and was hit with a UEFA fine and suspended one-match ban for a gesture after his strike against Slovakia.

“Eventful, yeah, a lot going on!” he said.

“I think in the first game I started really well. I felt great. That was one of my best games for England but I’m always honest with myself and I feel like the two games that followed (were) not at the level I can be, simple as that.

“For me, it’s about acknowledging that, reviewing it, getting myself back to the right fitness levels to try again. I’ll never stop running and stop trying to play forward, stop trying to create, score goals.

“If sometimes it doesn’t come off then so be it but I’ll never stop trying for my team and my team-mates.

“It looks like we’re hitting the right speed at the right time so we’ll see how it goes, we’re still here, we live to fight another day.”