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Gareth Southgate feels it is a “common-sense” decision not to suspend Jude Bellingham for his crotch-grabbing celebration against Slovakia and insisted the midfielder shows great maturity in how he reacts to his eventful life.
The midfielder was found guilty of “violating the basic rules of decent conduct” by Uefa and was fined €30,000 and given a one-match ban, which is suspended for a year, so he will be allowed to play in England football team’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday.
England manager Southgate feels the Real Madrid footballer would be a lesser player if he did not act with such emotion and believes Uefa were right not to opt for a more severe punishment.
He said: “I think it’s a common-sense decision. Clearly it’s an unprecedented moment in someone’s life to score a goal like that in the 96th minute. I don’t know how I’d have reacted in that moment if that was me, at his age as well.
“I’m just so mindful of everything he’s achieving and the spotlight on his world and at that age – or any age – nobody is going to be perfect so at 21 you are at times going to react emotionally and without that emotion I don’t think you have the type of player he is, so I think he actually deals with everything so well.”
Bellingham is a booking away from being banned for a potential Euro 2024 semi-final and Southgate said he will have a conversation with his joint-top scorer in this tournament.
But he added: “Jude is an incredible boy to work with. The maturity that he has, how he deals with everything that is put in front of him. The ability to impact games in the most important moments. The maturity that he has to deal with a world that is pretty much different to everyone else’s in the squad.
“I have a really good relationship with him. We talk, as I talk with all of the boys. But I do recognise there’s a lot of spotlight on him and I think he knows I’m there to support and help him as much as I can, as all the players would feel.
“I’m so pleased with how he responded in the last game to a couple of quieter games which in his world became a crisis. He’s super-motivated to help us win the game.”