Jude Bellingham has shared what England got wrong at the European Championships in 2024, as the Three Lions star looks ahead to their opening match against Croatia.
England reached the finals at the Euros, losing to Spain, in a tournament which saw Sir Gareth Southgate step down as the Three Lions boss.
Thomas Tuchel has spoken of creating a "brotherhood" in the England camp, with Bellingham saying that the players did not have a close bond.
"At the Euros I think we got a few things wrong off the pitch, I don't feel the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons," Bellingham told the Lions' Den.
"When it came to the tournament, we were seen as one of two or three teams that could win it.
"We weren't playing well, which doesn't help, so even when we were winning, we didn't get the feeling that we were as happy as we should be."
Bellingham proved instrumental for England during their run at the Euros, including a last-minute overhead kick to force extra time in the last 16 against Slovakia.
The Real Madrid midfielder said: "I still remember how I was feeling at the time. It always makes me feel a bit uncomfortable because it was such a bad situation.
Jude Bellingham said the England players 'didn't get the feeling that we were as happy as we should be' at the 2024 Euros
|REUTERS
LATEST SPORTS NEWS
"We weren't playing well. I remember as a kid watching World Cups and Euros where we crashed out against teams we shouldn't have gone out to and I remember thinking: 'Wow, I'm about to be a part of one of those moments'. It shakes up the whole of English football."
Bellingham is in a fight for the number 10 position, with Tuchel setting up a competition between him and Morgan Rogers.
Acknowledging the battle, the Real Madrid star said: "As a person, he is a top guy, he can get along with anyone, can have conversations with anyone.
"He can be a bit loud. We have debates that turn into arguments a lot. But we get on like brothers, to be fair.
The midfielder is in pursuit of a starting spot in the number 10 spot
|REUTERS
"The manager has made it very clear in a lot of the times where he has spoken that we are playing for the same position.
"I know that has eased up a bit more now that he sees me playing more positions and Morgs playing more positions, but I honestly have no ill feelings when he is playing and I'm not playing."
England kick off their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Croatia.
England kick off their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Croatia
|REUTERS
The Three Lions cruised to an emphatic 6-0 triumph against Miami FC in a closed-doors friendly at their West Palm Beach training base in Florida.
Tuchel's men absolutely demolished the American second-tier outfit, with five of their goals coming after the break.
Ivan Toney was the star of the show, grabbing himself a hat-trick and making a compelling case for a starting spot at the World Cup.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter