“When I was in the air, ‘it’s like Cristiano Ronaldo’” - Jude Bellingham admits to feeling like Real Madrid icon during overhead kick goal vs Slovakia
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has admitted that he felt like Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo when he scored his bicycle-kick goal against Slovakia in their Euro 2024 clash.
Gareth Southgate's men took on Slovakia in the Round of 16 on Sunday (June 30), with the winner set to face Switzerland in the quarterfinals. The Three Lions came into the game having received plenty of criticism for their style of play and for not getting the best out of their superstars.
England’s performance did not improve much against The Falcons, as they fell behind in the 25th minute following an Ivan Shranz strike. They trailed for much of the game as they failed to produce clear-cut chances and were on the brink of suffering a humiliating elimination from the tournament.
However, Bellingham produced a moment of brilliance in the fifth minute of stoppage time, leaping into the air to equalize for England with an overhead kick. The Three Lions went on to win the clash 2-1 courtesy of a Harry Kane header in the first minute of extra time.
The former Borussia Dortmund star told The Diary Room on England’s social media channels that the goal was “instinct more than anything.” He also seemingly compared it to Cristiano Ronaldo's wonderstrike against Juventus in the quarter-finals of the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League.
He said (via GOAL):
“It was really instinct more than anything, it kind of fell in the perfect spot, it was a little bit behind me. When I was in the air, I thought 'My god, I'm like, six feet off the ground, and it's like, (Cristiano) Ronaldo', but I watched it back and I've still got one arm on the floor, so it wasn't the most acrobatic!”
The 21-year-old added:
“But I think it was a nice contact and when I turned around on the floor and just saw it kind of rolling in, I thought 'Oh my God'; it was definitely one of the most important and memorable moments of my career so far.”
Jude Bellingham will be hoping to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps at Real Madrid by winning the Ballon d'Or
Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham will be hoping to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo by winning the Ballon d’Or during his time with the club.
The Portuguese legend won four Ballons d’Or during his illustrious stint at the Santiago Bernabeu from 2009 to 2018. He won the coveted award in the years 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 as he vied with rival and Barcelona icon Lionel Messi for the most golden balls.
Bellingham could achieve the feat this year as he is among the favorites for the Ballon d’Or, alongside his Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr. The two players starred in the 2023-24 season as Los Blancos wrested the La Liga crown back from Barcelona and clinched a record-extending 15th Champions League title.
Both Bellingham and Vinicius Jr are currently with their national teams participating at the Euro 2024 and the Copa America 2024, respectively. Helping their country achieve continental glory will go a long way towards either player winning a maiden Ballon d’Or.