Euro 2024: Joe Cole believes England should ease the burden on Jude Bellingham following his successful season at Real Madrid.

Bellingham and Co recently enjoyed England’s first public training session in Germany. It was a joyous occasion for Jude Bellingham and his teammates. Bellingham had an incredible debut season with Real Madrid after his move from Borussia Dortmund. He scored an impressive 23 goals and played a crucial role in his team’s triumph in both La Liga and the Champions League.

With the Euros just around the corner, Bellingham is expected to be a key player for Gareth Southgate’s side. However, former England player Joe Cole has called for the pressure to be taken off the young talent. Cole emphasized the need to remember Bellingham’s age and not burden him with excessive expectations.

Cole stated, “I think it’s incredible what he’s done. What I will say about Jude, everyone needs to remember his age. He’s an unbelievable footballer, unbelievable character. Let’s not put too much pressure on him.”

Cole further advised England and the public to avoid repeating past mistakes of putting too much pressure on young players like Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne. He suggested that Bellingham should simply focus on being himself and not worry about leading or setting an example.

In line with Cole’s sentiments, Steve McManaman, another former England midfielder, expressed his confidence in England’s ability to dominate the group stage of the Euros. McManaman believes that England should comfortably win every match in their group, despite the defensive tactics that their opponents may employ.

McManaman stated, “England are going to be favourites for the tournament. The teams in their group are going to make it very difficult for them and will play defensively. But I think England should win every game to be very honest.”

However, Peter Crouch, a former England striker, cautioned against underestimating the other teams in the tournament. Crouch highlighted the strength of teams like Portugal, France, Germany, and Belgium, emphasizing that any of them are capable of winning the tournament.

Crouch said, “I just think we get very blinded in our country about how good we are and forget that Portugal’s team is absolutely unbelievable, France, Germany, so many fantastic teams, Belgium. Just look at the squads, I think any of those teams are more than capable of winning it and we’re in the mix of those.”

As England prepares for the Euros, the focus remains on striking the right balance between supporting young talents like Bellingham and acknowledging the challenges posed by formidable opponents.