New Delhi, Jul 16 (IANS): At just 21 years of age Jude Bellingham has already established himself as one of the leading figures in the England dressing room. The Real Madrid midfielder opened up on his thoughts on the side’s loss in the finals of the Euros and thanked former boss Gareth Southgate for 'great memories.'

“Still trying to process the final but the overriding feelings are sadness and disappointment. The fact is that we came up against a great opponent and fell short, it hurts that we were so close to history and yet couldn’t deliver for the England fans that backed us throughout the highs and lows of the tournament whether that was from back home or out in Germany in the stadiums. For that we can only hold our hands up and apologise,” wrote Bellingham on a post on Instagram.

England suffered heartbreak against Spain in the final of the 2024 European Championship. The Three Lions were on the cusp of winning their first ever Euro tournament but conceded a winner by Mikel Oyarzabal in the 86th minute of the game making England the first team to lose two consecutive finals in the tournament.

Bellingham was one of England’s key players in the tournament. His 90+5 minute bicycle kick against Slovakia in the Round of 16 pulled England back into the tournament and saved them from embarrassment.

“Whilst it’s frustrating to keep writing in this manner after tournaments I genuinely believe that this team, using these heartbreaking experiences, has the potential to finally get over the line and bring silverware back to England at some point. Until then, stick with us and continue to support the lads like you have done for so long,” he added.

On Tuesday, Gareth Southgate confirmed that he will be ending his eight-year tenure as England head coach and announced his resignation from the position. Bellingham went on to thank the gaffer for his contribution to the game.

"Finally, I’d like to thank Gareth and his staff for the great memories during his tenure. From the point of view of a fan who has become a member of the squad, it’s been a rollercoaster of amazing emotions that has instilled hope and joy back into our country."

"It was a privilege being lead by someone who is so dedicated and passionate, not only is Gareth easily one of the best coaches in the history of the national team but also an unbelievable human being. Thank you for everything and all the best in the next chapter, Gaffer,” concluded Bellingham.