England’s thrilling win over Slovakia ended in a fiery exchange, with Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice at the center of the drama. Bellingham, who scored a stunning last-gasp equalizer with an overhead kick, was seen making an apparent crude gesture towards the Slovakia bench. However, he later clarified on social media that the gesture was an inside joke aimed at his friends in the stands, adding his respect for the Slovakian team’s performance. Meanwhile, Rice was involved in a heated confrontation with Slovakia manager Francesco Calzone, which resulted in him being restrained by teammate Aaron Ramsdale. The incident occurred as Calzone attempted to approach the officials, and Rice appeared to call him a “bald [insult].”
Fortunately, both Bellingham and Rice are expected to avoid UEFA charges and will likely be available for England’s quarter-final match against Switzerland in Dusseldorf on Saturday. This is good news for England, as Bellingham has been a key player for the team, scoring two of their four goals in the tournament so far. The FA, however, is facing “disciplinary proceedings” from UEFA due to crowd trouble during the match, including lighting fireworks and disturbances.
Jude Bellingham (right) will avoid a ban and be available for England’s quarter-final match.
Bellingham’s gesture came moments after his stunning goal that saved England from defeat.
Rice (left) and Slovakia manager Calzona (right) were involved in a heated exchange after the match.
The situation brings back memories of a similar incident in 2019, when Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone made an apology for a crude gesture during a Champions League match against Juventus. His action was later mimicked by Cristiano Ronaldo, who escaped suspension but received a €20,000 fine from UEFA for “improper conduct.” As for the upcoming match, England will be without defender Marc Guehi, who received his second booking of the tournament and will miss the quarter-final. England will need to step up their performance to beat a strong Swiss side that knocked out Italy in the previous round.
Bellingham was recognized as the Player of the Match for his impactful performance.
Cristiano Ronaldo was fined by UEFA for a similar gesture but avoided suspension.
Calzona, the Slovakia manager, later explained that his confrontation with Rice was due to his desire to complain about England’s time-wasting tactics during extra time. Lipreading expert Jeremy Freeman revealed that Rice said, “Shut up, [insult], oi, shut up, you bald [insult].” As England prepares for their next match, they will need to be at their best to overcome a formidable Swiss side and continue their journey in the tournament.
Rice was pushed by a member of the Slovakia coaching staff during the altercation.
Rice was pulled back by his England teammates to defuse the situation.