England's head coach Gareth Southgate has conceded that Jude Bellingham will be under the "spotlight" as the midfielder walks a disciplinary tightrope at Euro 2024.
UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, has slapped Bellingham with a £25,000 ($32,000) fine and one match suspension - to be imposed over the next year following his gesture after netting his 95th-minute equalizer against Slovakia in the last round.
Real Madrid's Bellingham teeters on the brink of missing out on a possible Euros semifinal, as he is among five English players who already have a booking for Saturday's quarterfinal against Switzerland. Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo, Kieran Trippier, and Conor Gallagher have also received a yellow card, all of which are nullified after the quarterfinals.
READ MORE: Jude Bellingham discovers England ban fate after X-rated gesture in Euro 2024 win
READ MORE: Bruno Fernandes revealed truth about Cristiano Ronaldo relationship amid Man Utd bust-up claim
While Southgate will remind all five players about the potential yellow peril, he acknowledged that Bellingham would find himself in the limelight following UEFA's ruling and must maintain his composure if Switzerland attempts to provoke him.
England boss Southgate said: “I think it’s a common sense decision. Clearly it’s an unprecedented moment in someone’s life to score a goal like that in the 96th minute. I don’t know how I’d have reacted in that moment if that was me, at his age as well.
"I’m just so mindful of everything he’s achieving and the spotlight on his world and at that age - or any age - nobody is going to be perfect at 21. You are at times going to react emotionally and without that emotion I don’t think you have the type of player he is, so I think he actually deals with everything so well.
Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.
"Discipline is something we always put a big focus on. Generally speaking, across all tournaments our discipline has been good. That is important. You don't want to lose players on disciplinary issues. Jude is an incredible boy to work with. The maturity that he has, how he deals with everything that is put in front of him.
"The ability to impact games in the most important moments. The maturity that he has to deal with a world that is pretty much different to everyone else's in the squad. I have a really good relationship with him. We talk, as I talk with all of the boys.
"But I do recognise there's a lot of spotlight on him and I think he knows I'm there to support and help him as much as I can, as all the players would feel."