Gary Neville says ‘something is not right’ with Jude Bellingham and has called for three changes to the England team for their Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Slovakia.
Bellingham enjoyed a dream start to the Euros, heading the Three Lions in front against Serbia after just 13 minutes and producing a dominant first-half display in England’s tournament opener.
Given the 21-year-old’s sensational first season at Real Madrid, in which he won La Liga and the Champions League, Bellingham was expected to kick on after scoring his first Euros goal and emerge as one of the stars out in Germany.
But Bellingham underwhelmed in England’s subsequent group matches against Denmark and Slovenia, leaving ex-Manchester United defender Neville baffled and concerned.
‘The big question and the one that everyone is avoiding this week is Jude Bellingham,’ Neville said on the Stick to Football show, brought to you by Sky Bet.
‘To be fair, the idea of him being left out would be unthinkable 10 days ago. But at the moment, I don’t know, there’s something not right about him. I don’t know what’s happened.’
Neville’s former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane then added: ‘There’s something amiss. Why shouldn’t he be left out?
‘Sometimes you have to make those big decisions, that’s Gareth’s job. What these players did two or three weeks ago is irrelevant, it’s a different dynamic in a tournament.’
Despite progressing to the knockout stages as Group C winners, England will need to improve if they are to become European champions and end the nation’s 58-year wait for a men’s major trophy.
Next up for the Three Lions is a last-16 clash with Slovakia, who finished third in Group E after producing an upset against Belgium and then taking one point from Romania and Ukraine.
The ex-England defender would also start Kobbie Mainoo in midfield following his bright cameo against Slovenia and play Chelsea’s Cole Palmer on the right ahead of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.
‘Kobbie Mainoo has to be in there, he will start,’ Neville added. ‘And I think I would bring in Trent for Trippier.
‘On the right, I think I would bring in Cole Palmer for Saka. I love Saka to bits but I just think Palmer has to play now. So I would bring in Trent, Mainoo and Palmer.’
Meanwhile, England legend Wayne Rooney has also revealed his ‘worry’ over Bellingham and criticised his body language at the Euros.
‘Watching England against Slovenia, I focused on Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane to try to understand how they are working together,’ he told The Times. ‘What I saw left me worried. Jude’s body language told you a lot.