Jude Bellingham has broken his silence after England’s heartbreaking World Cup exit at the hands of Argentina in poignant fashion, with the midfield star sharing a touching poem titled ‘The Lions Way’.
The Real Madrid man was one of England’s standouts Stateside and he took defeat in the semi-finals in Atlanta every bit as hard as his team-mates, with Bellingham captured in tears surrounded by friends and family in the stands after the final whistle.
Bellingham admitted in the social media post that putting his feelings into words had been a challenge, but used the poem shared with the group by their driver in Kansas City to express himself.
‘Was really struggling to find the right words for yesterday and the last few weeks but this pretty much hits the nail on the head from our driver in Kansas,’ he wrote. ‘Thank you for the unbelievable support from back home and to those who spent their hard earned money to travel to America and get behind us.
‘Don’t let the unity and love we’ve seen in our country end with this campaign. When we’re together we can achieve big things… And we will! Love yous! (red heart, England flag emojis).’
A picture of the poem was attached, with the first verse beginning: ‘The Lion does not boast aloud, Nor chase the praise of every crowd. He knows the roar that shakes the night, Is born when fear is met with might.
Jude Bellingham broke his silence after England’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina on Wednesday
The Three Lions star shared a touching poem titled ‘The Lions Way’ stressing the values of spirit and conduct beyond the final whistle
‘The match is not with foe alone, The truest pitch is self unknown. Before one pass is struck with grace, The heart must first have won its race.
‘For strength is more than driving speed, Or planting firmly every cleat. It lives within the iron will, To climb again the steeper hill.
‘The body tires. The lungs grow tight. The legs grow heavy in the fight. Yet steadfast minds refuse retreat, They drag the weary to their feet.
‘Endurance is a faithful friend, It walks beside you to the end. While others yield to pain’s command, It whispers low, “Hold your stand”.
‘The clever mind outplays the strong, Who rush with fury all day long. A patient pass, a measured pace, Will forever conquer reckless haste.
‘The hawk may see the pitch above, The lion wins through steadfast love/ Of every movement, every run/ Where many minds become but one.
‘For tactics are not tricks concealed, But wisdom sharpened on the field. To know when pressing serves the day/ And when restraint becomes the way.
‘The storm may rage. The crowd may cry/ The score may yet refuse the sky. Yet none of these command the soul/ Whose purpose governs every goal.
‘No referee can steal your choice, No hostile song can drown your voice. The world may shake, the night may burn/ Your answer shapes the final turn.
‘England wore Three Lions bright, Not chasing glory’s fleeting light. They sought instead a nobler prize, To master self before men’s eyes.
‘They trusted feet that years had trained/ They trusted minds that calm had gained/ They trusted hearts that would not bend/ Though every minute neared the end.
‘One perfect move/ One selfless pass/ One moment born from countless tasks.
‘The net gave way/ The crowd arose/ The thunder rolled through friend and foe.
‘The victory belongs to those/ Who rule themselves before the blows/ And therefore earned a greater name/ Than those who merely played the game.
‘The whistle blew/ The contest done/ Three Lions work had been won.
‘Victory now was the score/ Lifting gold evermore/ But greatest triumph, clear to see/ Was quiet self mastery.
‘For trophies tarnish/ And crowds grow still/ Time itself outlasts all skill.
‘But those who govern both heart and mind/ Leave fear and doubt far behind/ So walk the Lion’s ancient road/ Carry calmly every load/ Meet each trial firm and true/ Let discipline be the strength in you.
‘For fortune favours not the loud, Nor always crowns the largest crowd/ She often walks beside the one/ Whose hardest battle has been won. Not on the pitch beneath the lights/ But deep within through sleepless nights.
‘And when the final whistle sings/ And victory lifts its golden wings/ The truest roar will still be heard/ A soul made strong, A soul assured.’
The poem was signed by the author – driver Michael Chandler – and dated for July 15, the day of England’s meeting with Argentina.
The poem was written by the squad’s driver in Kansas City Michael Chandler the day of the tie
Bellingham cut a heartbroken figure at full-time as England were knocked out of the World Cup
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The post was commented on by a number of his England team-mates, with Reece James, Anthony Gordon, and Jordan Henderson among those to simply share red heart emojis underneath it.
Just a few hours earlier, Harry Kane had shared a similar message to his fans, describing the loss in Atlanta as ‘hard to take’, while insisting his team would ‘go again’.
‘We were close, really close to another final but it wasn’t enough,’ he said. ‘We’ve given everything over these last seven weeks and to fall short is hard to take!
‘I know the expectations are high and rightly so, we’ve been knocking on the door for eight years now but again are missing that final piece of the jigsaw!’
Kane added his pride at the group of players for the fight they had displayed throughout the tournament, and Bellingham was among those who had battled the hardest, helping England get over the line in style against Norway with his match-winning brace.
Bellingham struggled against Argentina however as the repeated target of first-half challenges from his opponents’ attritional play.
At full-time, he was pushed to breaking point by unused substitute Valentin Barco, with Bellingham smacking the young Strasbourg player’s head from behind, and sparking a brief melee involving players from both sides.
It remains unclear what triggered the reaction from the Real Madrid midfielder, though footage has circulated showing Barco running onto the pitch after Enzo Fernandez’s 85th-minute equaliser and celebrating in front of the England players rather than joining his team-mates by the corner flag.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, described Barco’s actions as ‘probably the worst example of sportsmanship we’ve seen at this World Cup’.
Barco was also seen appearing to mouth something to Bellingham before the pair physically interacted.
As for his post-match assessment, Bellingham said: ‘I think we can take a lot from the experience, but it’s so gutting.
‘I wanted to be a part of an England squad that had finally done it, finally got it over the line. And to be here telling the fans unfortunately the same things that they’ve probably heard for years and years, it’s really gutting.
‘I wish I could say more. I wish I could give one more win or two more wins. But at the moment I’m kind of – my head’s a bit fuzzy with disappointment.’
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