The photo that proves Jude Bellingham wasn't insulting Slovakia with X-rated gesture

Jude Bellingham is being looked into by UEFA for allegedly making a suggestive hand gesture during England's victory against Slovakia in the Euro 2024 round of 16.

However, video evidence from three months ago shows that the Three Lions star is likely to be proven innocent.

Bellingham was full of joy as he scored an amazing bicycle kick in the final moments of the game to equalize and secure England's spot in the Euros. Harry Kane later scored the winning goal in extra time.

When the midfielder walked back to the center of the field to continue playing, it seemed like he showed a rude gesture to Slovakia’s bench. However, the 21-year-old player later explained that this was not what happened.

"He made a subtle gesture towards his close friends who were at the game, sharing an inside joke. He also expressed his respect for the way the Slovakia team played tonight in a tweet."

However, UEFA has not let that stop them from making a controversial choice to start looking into Bellingham, which might result in taking action against him. This decision was criticized by Gary Lineker as being unreasonable.

Punishments can vary from a monetary penalty to being prohibited from playing in a game, and England is scheduled to play against Switzerland in the quarter-finals this Saturday.

Luckily for Gareth Southgate and his team, it appears that the likelihood of a ban has decreased. Recent videos and photos suggest that the hand gesture was meant as a joke among friends.

The video shows Bellingham scoring a last-minute goal for Real Madrid against Barcelona in the famous El Clasico match in April.

The video displays the England player celebrating with his team members and then turning to the audience to repeat the same action.

- A playful gesture aimed at some of our buddies who were at the game, an inside joke to show our respect for the impressive performance of the Slovakia team tonight. ???????? #hockey #respect

In addition, other players and coaches have made similar actions in the past without facing consequences, or receiving only a small fine.

This involves Cristiano Ronaldo, who was fined €20,000 (£16,977) for making the gesture during a celebration after scoring three goals for Juventus against Atletico Madrid in 2019.

In relation to Bellingham, a declaration from the organization in charge of European football was released.

A UEFA investigator will look into a possible breach of fair play rules by English Football Association player, Jude Bellingham, in a recent match.

Details about this issue will be provided at a later time.

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