"I lost my smile because I felt I was a bit mistreated, compared to what I contributed," Bellingham told his pre-match news conference. "I felt a bit of a scapegoat. I hadn't lost my smile in a Madrid shirt. I'm the luckiest lad in the world. It was more to do with how I was treated off the back of the Euros. But the smile is back."
"It felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me, especially the days after the final," Bellingham added, reflecting on his contributions during the Euro 2024 campaign and the subsequent media scrutiny he faced.
"A big criticism was that I didn't speak to the media, it was reported I felt like I'm above it. But I had some personal things going on. I think that crosses the line of respect, I took that personally and decided to focus on my football."
"I've filled in in positions, to make sacrifices, just like others have," Bellingham said, noting his adaptability and willingness to adjust to playing alongside stars like Kylian Mbappé in Madrid.
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