JUDE BELLINGHAM revealed he felt like Cristiano Ronaldo when firing home his instantly-iconic overhead kick against Slovakia.
But when watching it back he realised his effort was not quite as acrobatic as the Portuguese legend famously pulled off for Real Madrid in the Champions League in 2018.
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Ronaldo’s effort back then against Juventus saw him jump six feet in the air and is widely regarded as one of greatest bicycle kicks this century.
Talking through his own wonderstrike on the FA’s Diary Room show, current Real icon Bellingham said: “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, Ronaldo’, but I watched it back and I’ve still got one arm on the floor, so it wasn’t the most acrobatic!”
Bellingham was spotted on Tuesday with his family at a restaurant in Erfurt, about half an hour from England’s camp in Blankenhain, eastern Germany.
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The players were given a day off to relax with their families by boss Gareth Southgate.
Some of the squad, including Kyle Walker, Ezri Konsa, Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer, watched a short game between the England media team, who were managed by Kieran Trippier, and the press.
Bellingham’s brilliant goal against Slovakia came from Walker’s long throw, which was flicked on by Marc Guehi.
Guehi, who is suspended for Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland, went in for a handshake at full-time with Bellingham, who was having none of that and hugged the Crystal Palace defender in appreciation.
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The Real Madrid megastar praised Guehi – or “gave him his flowers”, as Bellingham put it – for his crucial role during the tournament.
The 21-year-ol added: “Marc probably made the best flick-on header in England history, and he’ll never take any credit for it, but it’s important he knows how appreciative I am and the team is for his contribution.
“He’s the most humble geezer, he thought I’d let him get away with a little handshake [at full-time] but he’s just set up the most important goal of my life.
“I’m really big on giving people their flowers, especially when they’ve been as good as he has so far this tournament.
“He’s only a little bit older than me, but when you speak to him or are around him, you get the idea that he’s like 40 and played three careers!
“He’s such a nice guy, you forget about his physical presence and playing against him. Whenever I see him going for headers, I think it’s nice-guy Marc and then boom, it’s not-so-nice Marc!
“He’s a brilliant guy, uncle Marc!”
Jude Bellingham is like David Beckham – Emile Heskey
EXCLUSIVE by Tom Barclay in Erfurt
EMILE HESKEY witnessed up close the David Beckham phenomenon.
And in current England hero Jude Bellingham, the former striker sees a kindred spirit to Goldenballs who too possesses a power to transcend football.
Ex-Leicester and Liverpool forward Heskey played with Beckham for many years for the national team.
They competed together at Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands, World Cup 2002 in Japan and South Korea and Euro 2004 in Portugal.
Beckham mania was at its height during that period and Heskey had a front row seat to it all, so is well-placed to observe if man-of-the-moment Bellingham is following a similar path.
Heskey, 46, told SunSport courtesy of 888Sport: “Beckham was an icon. He took the world by storm, not just football.
“He was the very first figure that took it outside of football. Transcend not just being a footballer, but being this big icon.
“I was at the 2002 World Cup and everyone was sporting Beckham haircuts, from kids to grown-men, to women.
“You’re a huge superstar when you’re doing that, especially in places like Japan.
“We had 3,000 watching training sessions and that was because of him.
“He’s a fantastic and wonderful icon. You can see where Jude is going with that with some of the stuff he’s doing.”
The similarities between Beckham and Bellingham are clear – both are trend-setting pin-up boys who revel in the limelight.
First and foremost, as Heskey pointed out, is their ability on the pitch which is capable of lifting an entire team with one moment of brilliance.
Beckham had it with that unforgettable, last-gasp free-kick against Greece in 2001.
Bellingham had his three days ago in Gelsenkirchen with THAT overhead kick against Slovakia.
Heskey was captained many times by Beckham for England. He recalled: “Becks was quite quiet to be honest.
“He was a fantastic captain because he led by example. You can see that in Jude.
“He’s the one that really wants to take the game by the scruff of the neck, whether it be technically, physically or emotionally.
“He’s the one getting the crowd going, he’s the one that is willing to put his foot in where it hurts. He’s a great all-round leader.
“Becks was that. He was fantastic as a captain for me in the sense of what a captain does. He was the first one there, he led us by example. If there were any problems, he’s the one we can go to and he sorted all that out.
“You can see the similar sort of traits in Jude. A wonderful, wonderful player, a great character who is doing tremendous things on the pitch.”
Heskey is confident his fellow former Birmingham man Bellingham will be able to handle the ever-brightening spotlight that is on him, thanks to the strength of his support network.
And Michael Owen’s old strike partner has been so impressed with how the Real Madrid midfielder speaks publicly despite only turning 21 on Saturday.
Heskey added: “Jude’s family nucleus is very strong.
“His dad is an ex-footballer, a policeman as well. His mother is a role model in the sense of being his mum. You see how strong they are as a family.
“That’s when you’re getting a real grounded and well-versed child who is growing into an amazing man. I think he’ll be able to handle all that.
“Football clubs have all these different ways of helping players with certain things that are going on, even down to media training.
“I doubt Becks would have had any media training. I never had any media training, so you get thrust into that.
“But when you look at the likes of Jude, you see how well they talk on the mic and the television.”
England are still sweating on if Bellingham will escape a ban for Saturday’s quarter-final with Switzerland.
Uefa are investigating a “potential violation of the basic rules of decent conduct” after he made what seemed to be a crude gesture when celebrating his amazing leveller against the Slovaks.
Heskey admits missing Bellingham in Dusseldorf would be a huge blow, but pointed to how back-up players led England to glory the last time we won a major trophy in 1966.
The ex-Aston Villa and Wigan forward added: “Hopefully we don’t lose him.
“Then again it’s then for others, having the opportunity that they might not have had, to step up to the plate.
“We’ve seen it so many times. Even when talking about the last time we won a trophy, I believe that Jimmy Greaves was the one who was supposed to be playing.
“Then you have an injury or a setback and you’ve got to step up to the plate. And the rest is history.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
