In a touching moment, Jude Bellingham consoles a devastated Manuel Akanji following England’s victory over Switzerland in the Euro 2024 penalty shoot-out.
England secured their place in the semi-finals of the European Championship on Saturday evening after a tense encounter that went to penalties against Murat Yakin’s team.
The decisive moment came when Manuel Akanji missed his penalty, allowing Alexander-Arnold to seal England’s 5-3 sudden death win, setting up a semi-final clash against the Netherlands.
To comfort his former Borussia Dortmund teammate Akanji, who now plays for Manchester City, Bellingham approached him to offer support.
Akanji, visibly heartbroken, received a hug from the Real Madrid superstar before Bellingham suggested swapping shirts as a gesture of solidarity.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Portugal’s Pepe also experienced emotional scenes after their elimination by France in another penalty shoot-out. Ronaldo shared a poignant moment with Pepe, marking the end of their European Championship campaigns.
Following England’s triumph, Luke Shaw and Bukayo Saka praised the team’s ‘calculated’ approach to penalties and hailed Trent Alexander-Arnold for his decisive goal.
Saka, redeeming his emotional miss from Euro 2020, scored a brilliant penalty and earlier forced extra time with an 80th-minute strike, while Shaw made a comeback after a five-month absence from action, witnessing England’s nerve-wracking victory from the sidelines.
Be the first to comment