Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham believes he was made a scapegoat for England’s Euro 2024 shortcomings.
Gareth Southgate’s side lost in the final to Spain and Bellingham finished the tournament with two goals and one assist in seven appearances.
However, the 21-year-old felt England’s failure was pinned more on him than anyone else and it took him several months to get over that.
After helping the national team qualify for the Nations League under interim boss Lee Carsley, Bellingham posted on Instagram earlier this month he had “got his smile back”.
Asked about why he had found things so difficult he said: “I’ve got to be honest, I think I lost my smile a lot after the Euros when it came to playing for England because I felt like I was a little bit mistreated in comparison to what I contributed.
“I felt like some of it was a bit harsh on me. I felt I was a bit like the scapegoat. Maybe I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself.”
Speaking at Anfield ahead of the Champions League clash with Liverpool he added: “I think that camp (under Carsley earlier this month) with a lot of new faces really brought out the joy in my game again and I think you can see that in the two games.
“In general, I haven’t lost my smile in the Madrid shirt. I am annoyed when we lose and I get frustrated but it is never a case of not being happy.
“I’m the luckiest lad in the world. I get to play week in week out for the biggest club in the world and represent my country.
“I think it (the post) was more to do with a little bit of how I was treated on the back of the Euros. The smile is back.”
Bellingham refused to speak to any media during the tournament, which drew its own criticism, but he justified that by saying it was a protest at the treatment some of his family had received from the press back home while he was in Germany.
He said he was well-equipped for the scrutiny he received but his family did not deserve the attention they got.
“For me pressure is not a problem, I understand that playing for Real Madrid the expectations are going to be high for me wherever I go with the national team,” he added.
“I felt like I contributed some pretty big moments and, in the end, it kind of felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me after the Euros, especially after the three days following the final. It wasn’t a nice feeling.
“There were a few things that happened during the tournament. I had some personal things going on, journalists who went to go and see members of my family whilst I was at the tournament, went to visit my grandparents and that’s something I kept to myself.
“I don’t think that’s fair. I think that crosses the line of respect. I took it a little bit personally and decided I was going to focus on the football and try to let that do the talking.
“Maybe I should have communicated that before so people understood my situation but that was a little bit more personal and that’s why I decided to keep my mouth shut.”
After a slow start to the season Bellingham has begun to find his form, scoring his first Madrid goals of the campaign in back-to-back league matches before arriving back in England.
“Criticism is part of the game and I know how to accept it but when it feels personal it does give you a bit of a new challenge to continue to shut people up,” he said.
“That’s something I’ve dealt with since I was very young, coming into the first team at Birmingham when people aren’t sure you’re ready.
“You take those little things and you try to use it as motivation. Like I say, it’s not something I’m really worried about. I understand it is part of the game.”