Wayne Rooney: Jude Bellingham looks frustrated – he should be fronting up for England

Wayne Rooney has expressed his concern about Jude Bellingham not speaking out about England's struggling European Championship performance. Rooney believes that Bellingham should be leading the players' reaction to the current situation.

Rooney also cautioned about the possibility of Bellingham getting a "foolish red card" at the tournament, stating that the Real Madrid player appeared "very annoyed" in his recent games against Denmark and Slovenia.

Before the Euro 2024 tournament, Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England national team, announced that Bellingham would be joining Harry Kane, Declan Rice, and Kyle Walker as part of the team's fresh leadership group.

The three mentioned individuals have given public speeches multiple times in Germany, and have been subjected to challenging inquiries regarding the team's disappointing performances.

However, Bellingham has only participated in these activities as required, after scoring the sole goal in their first win against Serbia and making a casual appearance on the team's internal Lions' Den program on Thursday.

Rooney, who faced challenges during his time playing for England, like being red-carded at the 2006 World Cup and getting into conflicts with fans at the 2010 tournament, shared his thoughts on the Football Daily podcast. He mentioned, "Jude had a strong start in the first game, but he himself would probably admit that he hasn't performed his best in the last two games."

I think he appears extremely upset. I have experienced the same feelings as him before. Even during the game on Tuesday, you could see him raising his arms in frustration.

As a symbol of success for both England and Real Madrid, we have yet to hear him share his thoughts. Why is that? Given his iconic status in the England squad, he should be taking a more prominent role in speaking out.

"That indicates to me that he may not be in top form for the tournament."

"He is putting in maximum effort, giving 100 percent. I don't believe that's the issue. It's important for players to push their teammates to do better, and he was attempting to do just that."

"So, it's not meant as a criticism, it's actually a form of praise in some respects. However, we need to be careful that it doesn't escalate to the point where he ends up receiving a unnecessary red card."

Rooney also expressed doubts about Southgate's choice to only select one natural left-back in his team, Luke Shaw, who is still recovering from injury.

"I was totally caught off guard and completely amazed that Ben Chilwell wasn't selected just to have a left-footed player there," Rooney expressed.

You're discussing Ben Chilwell, who currently plays for Chelsea and has performed admirably in previous matches for England.

Bellingham did not address Rooney's remarks or the fans' reaction to England's draw with Slovenia during his next interview on Lions' Den.

Instead, the program aimed to highlight the positive aspects of the commotion that occurred during the game.

Bellingham expressed that in previous matches, he felt completely exhausted. However, he found motivation in the fans singing and chanting. He acknowledged that sometimes players may not perform at their peak level, but it is crucial to never give up, especially when representing the team. The fans serve as a constant reminder of this.

I'm aware of the negativity surrounding us outside of the stadium and our training grounds. However, once we step onto the field, things change drastically. It's crucial for us, as teammates and as a team, to acknowledge that the fans in the stadium are the ones who will provide us with the motivation and energy we need.

Don't fret about the absent ones. Let's channel that energy and positive vibe to pave our way to success in this competition.

Rooney has been sharing his opinions on the BBC's live coverage of the Euros, but now he is heading back to his new role as manager of Plymouth Argyle. Pre-season training is starting soon for his new team.

He suggested that he felt let down for not being chosen to play in England's matches against Serbia and Denmark.

He expressed disappointment that he hasn't had the chance to discuss any of the England games, and the matches he has covered haven't been very exciting. Nonetheless, he is happy to be here and enjoy the experience.