Jude Bellingham has faced criticism for his behavior towards Harry Kane during a penalty in Real Madrid’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich, with some accusing him of showing disrespect.
The intense European clash at the Allianz Arena ended in a 2-2 draw, setting the stage for an unpredictable second leg in this high-stakes semi-final.
Harry Kane aimed to give Bayern Munich an advantage to take back to the Santiago Bernabeu by scoring his 43rd goal of the season.
Kane successfully scored from the penalty spot despite attempts by England teammate Jude Bellingham to distract him. Bellingham’s effort to unsettle Kane before his kick ultimately had no effect, as Kane calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner.
Nonetheless, this incident has sparked debate over Bellingham’s motives for intervening.
Former England international Chris Sutton discussed the incident on the Daily Mail’s ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ podcast, noting Bellingham’s attempt to interrupt the routine of his seasoned teammate.
“I was surprised. Whether you like it or I like it, it doesn’t matter. Did Harry Kane like it? Does Harry Kane like it 24 hours on? I think he would feel there’s a bit of a lack of respect there. I really, really do. They’re off to the Euros together. There’s a big competition, a big moment. You can understand the desperation for Bellingham, for Real Madrid to go through. But I thought it was a strange move. He’s had a brilliant start to his career, exceptional at Dortmund. He’s gone to Madrid but maybe people are viewing him as someone who may be getting a bit above his station when he does stuff like that,” he said.
Kane was unfazed by Bellingham’s actions, and when asked about the incident afterwards, he responded: “I spoke to him after and he said: ‘I know you’re going to go left of the keeper’. But it was nice for me because I saw the keeper go a little bit early and I put it away. I knew [Bellingham] was there but I didn’t know what he said. But I went left anyway,” he said, according to GOAL.
