Jude Bellingham may receive a ban for his gesture towards the Slovakia bench at Euro 2024. The duration of the ban will depend on UEFA’s decision regarding the incident involving the England player.
Jude Bellingham showcased his brilliance with a sensational bicycle kick goal in the 95th minute of England’s last-16 match against Slovakia, which forced the game into extra-time. Harry Kane then secured the win with a header. This goal marked Bellingham’s second of the tournament, adding to his opener against Serbia.
After scoring against Slovakia, Bellingham appeared to taunt the Slovakia bench, although he later denied this on social media following the match in Gelsenkirchen. UEFA has initiated an investigation into Bellingham’s actions for potentially breaching rules on proper conduct.
Instances of similar gestures in football include Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone’s taunt during a 2019 Champions League match, which prompted an apology after his team defeated Juventus. Cristiano Ronaldo notably mimicked this gesture in the return leg as Juventus mounted a remarkable comeback.
Ronaldo managed to avoid a ban but was fined €20,000 by UEFA for his improper conduct during that incident.
Given UEFA’s past actions with figures like Simeone and Ronaldo, there’s optimism that Bellingham may avoid a ban at Euro 2024. However, UEFA has previously enforced penalties, such as the one-match ban for Marko Arnautovic during Euro 2020 for insulting an opponent.
If UEFA decides to penalize Bellingham for his gesture, a one-match suspension seems to be the maximum potential outcome, similar to what Arnautovic received. Gareth Southgate will surely hope to have Bellingham ready for England’s upcoming match against Switzerland on Saturday.