Jude Bellingham insisted he just wanted to carry his form into the Euros following his man of the match performance against Serbia.
England got their Euro 2024 campaign off to a winning start with Bellingham heading home the only goal of the game after 13 minutes in the 1-0 win.
The Three Lions made hard work of it in the second half, but held on for the three points which sent them straight to the top of Group C following Denmark’s 1-1 draw with Slovenia.
Bellingham reacts to England’s win against Serbia
With his header against Serbia, Bellingham became just the fifth player to score England’s opening goal at two different major tournaments, having done the same against Iran at the 2022 World Cup, joining Bobby Charlton, Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker, and Bryan Robson.
Having played well in the opening 30 minutes, England made hard work of things in the second half as Serbia came back into the game, and it was a tough watch at times.
It must be said that tournament football is about winning, but against better opposition, England will get punished if they continue to play like that.
Bellingham insisted it was important England got off to a good start and said they had prepared well all week for the game.
“Good game, I thought they are a very tough side, very robust, strong and a big group of lads and it was important that we prepared well,” he told BBC Sport.
“The staff got it right, we prepared all week very well, we knew the roles we had to do.
“We try to keep to our own standards and try to do our own job, it’s important that we got off to a good start, positive inside the camp and onto the next one.
“I have got used to getting into the box, getting wide and trying to do that.
“I got into that habit at Madrid and I wanted to carry my form into the Euros, it’s a great start for me personally to get my confidence up and to help the lads get the win is the most important thing.”
England take on Denmark on Thursday before rounding out the group stage against Slovenia.
