englandfootball.com

Jude Bellingham speaks on fans' support, Slovakia and his return to Germany

“I think it's important as teammates and as a team, we remember that the ones in the stadium are the ones who are going to give us the energy so don't worry about those who aren't there.

"We've got to keep using that energy and that feeling that we get from them to be successful in this tournament.”

England head into the knockout stages as winners of Group C, and are now preparing to face a Slovakia team who qualified as one of the best third-placed teams following their win over Romania on Wednesday evening.

And Bellingham says England are expecting to face a strong opponent at the weekend, with a place in the quarter-final at stake.

"You're always going to have tough games at this point in the tournament,” he added.

“People will look at it and think it's an easy game but it's definitely not. They'll pose a different threat and it's a different kind of thing to break down.

"When you play against the nations who come at you a bit more, it's a bit more open.

"It'll be an interesting game and I know the performances haven't been as good as they can be in the first three games but it's an opportunity for us to get back to the level that we need to be at.”

For Bellingham, the last few weeks have seen him back in a country he knows well following his time with Borussia Dortmund before he made the move to Madrid last summer.

"I had three really good years here in Dortmund and had a really good time and learned about a different football culture,” he explained.

"It was a really key part of my journey so far and I learnt a lot, not just things on the pitch but things off the pitch as well.

"For the first time, I had a bit more responsibility as a leader within a squad so I was grateful for everything that happened there.

“It’s a different kind of vibe here to Dortmund and it’s always interesting when you go to different cities in Germany as it’s always based on the people and the jobs. Dortmund was very industrial and where we are here is a bit more quiet, but it’s a nice place to have a basecamp.

"Travelling around Germany and playing in stadiums that I've played in before, it's been nice to reminisce.

England face Slovakia on Sunday 30 June, kicking-off at 5pm BST with the game being shown live on ITV1 and ITVX.

Read full news in source page