IAN WRIGHT REVEALS WHY JUDE BELLINGHAM REMINDS HIM OF 'AN AMERICAN ATHLETE', AS HE LAUDS ENGLAND STAR FOR 'GIVING US ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY' AT EUROS

• Jude Bellingham rescued England against Slovakia to keep their Euros alive
• Ian Wright says the bullish confidence reminds him of American athletes  
• LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY: Why 'biggest culprit' Roberto Martinez needs to overrule Cristiano Ronaldo 

Jude Bellingham's stunning overhead kick to save England's Euros has prompted Ian Wright to compare him to 'an American athlete'. 

The Arsenal legend, now pundit, heaped praise on the midfielder after his dramatic equaliser in the last-16 clash against Slovakia kept his side in the tournament. 

Harry Kane went on to fire the extra-time winner and tee up a quarter-final clash against Switzerland on Saturday. 

But it was Bellingham who stole the show with an instantly iconic moment and Wright has reflected on the Real Madrid star's campaign in Germany. 

Wright spoke to Vicky McClure at this year's GQ Heroes in association with BMW at Soho Farmhouse.  

'We're talking about someone in Jude who's built for this kind of situation', Wright told British GQ.

'He reminds me of an American athlete in his confidence, at only 21. I'm not sure the British press are ready for that talent, and that confidence… sometimes we want to quash that kind of confidence in this country.

'Everyone in this room knows that if he doesn't score, [the England team are] getting hammered. 

'We saw England fans leaving because they were so despondent. But he's dragged it out, and he's given us another opportunity, because that's the calibre of player he is.'

Wright added: 'It's tough, because as much as we are doing well by getting to the next stage, you ideally wanna be playing well to get to those stages. 

'As you can see – everyone's seeing it – we're sort of stumbling to the next game. Cause it's tournament football, that's what you have to do. But ideally you wanna play well so you can get confidence, you can get momentum.'

Mail Sport launched a 'We're backing England' campaign, with Bellingham and Co still in with a great chance of winning the Euros. 

Switzerland will prove a tricky test this weekend but if England win, they will face the victor of Netherlands vs Turkey for a place in the final in Germany.  

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2024-07-04T15:03:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd