Harry Kane hailed the talent of the “unbelievable” Jude Bellingham after the midfielder’s decisive header in England’s win over Serbia.
Gareth Southgate’s side kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a 1-0 victory in Gelsenkirchen, surviving a tough test against a physical opposing side.
Serbia threatened to fight back in the second half having been outplayed across the first 45 minutes, but a crucial Jordan Pickford save ensured that Bellingham’s powerful early finish secured all three points.
It continued a remarkable year for the 20-year-old, who looks set to star in Germany this summer after helping Real Madrid to Champions League triumph earlier this month.
And his captain was impressed with how Bellingham produced the match-winning moment.
“[He’s an] unbelievable player,” Kane told the BBC of the Real Madrid midfielder. “He deserves all the praise he’s getting at the moment.
“The confidence he plays with and the way he affects games – it’s important for players playing in his position to get goals and assists, and that’s what he does. He got in the box and finished it off nicely.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game. Serbia posed some tough threats – they are very physical. But overall, it went really well, and I think we deserved the win. In the group, it is just about getting through so it was an important win tonight.”
Bellingham joined Real Madrid last summer and produced a superb first campaign in the Spanish capital, finishing the season as the club’s top scorer as they also secured La Liga success.
The youngster is already appearing at his third major international tournament having been part of the England squad at Euro 2020 and the World Cup in Qatar, though has taken on a role of greater importance in a new-look midfield.
While it was not all smooth sailing for England, with a second-half subsidence sure to concern Southgate, there were promising signs from Bellingham’s combination with Declan Rice and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“I wanted to carry my form into the Euros,” Bellingham explained afterwards. “It’s a great start for me personally to get my confidence up, and to help us win the game is the most important thing.
“I thought [Serbia] were a very tough side: robust, strong, a big group of lads. The staff got it right, we prepared all week very well. I know there have been a lot of goals in other games but we try to keep to our own standards, not play to the themes of the other games in the tournament.”
England take on Denmark in Frankfurt in their second group game on Thursday.
