With fans leaving the stadium and England 20 points behind in the polls, the Real Madrid star stepped in
I keep thinking about the guys who left early. You could see them sliding out of their seats, shuffling down the concourses, tutting and harrumphing all the way to the deserted tram terminus. Thinking uncharitable thoughts about Gareth Southgate, Gelsenkirchen, life in general. Looking forward to a smooth return journey and a glass of one of the Ruhr region’s frothier brews. And then, suddenly, hearing a noise over their shoulders, and realising with a deathly chill that they screwed up.
And so, as Milan Skriniar boots the ball over the line and jogs back into position, the ornate scaffolding of England humiliation has already been mostly assembled. The WhatsApp groups are going toxic. The boos from the England fans that have been unleashed in sporadic bursts are tuning up for one final grand concerto. Disgusted of YouTube is already weighing up the merits of Graham Potter versus Eddie Howe to a live seven-figure audience.
Let’s talk about Bellingham for a bit. The Bellingham who famously doesn’t turn up in big games, and – to be honest – didn’t really turn up for most of this one. Who can’t possibly be fully fit. Who spent his evening raging at the fates, raging at his teammates, drifting and hiding, like a man trying to sneak past the bouncers. Like a player on a computer game where only a few of the buttons work.
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