Jude Bellingham addresses Cristiano Ronaldo comparison after incredible Euro 2024 goal

Jude Bellingham thought he was "like Cristiano Ronaldo" after his incredible overhead kick , only to later realize it wasn't quite on par with the Portuguese superstar.

The England midfielder delivered a crucial equalizer in the dying moments against Slovakia in the last 16 of Euro 2024, saving his side from embarrassment. His goal arrived five minutes into stoppage time, setting the stage for Harry Kane to score the winner in extra-time and keep England's Euro hopes alive.

Despite having what he considers an average tournament, Bellingham's moment of brilliance came from a long throw that prompted him to attempt some fancy footwork. In his mind, he was channeling Ronaldo, who famously soared for an overhead kick in the Champions League against Juventus.

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However, the former Birmingham talent humorously noted after watching the replay that he still had one hand on the turf, quipping that his attempt wasn't as spectacular as he initially thought.

Speaking to the Diary Room on England's social media channels, Bellingham shared: "It was really instinct more than anything, it kind of fell in the perfect spot, it was a little bit behind me. When I was in the air thought 'My god, I'm like, six feet off the ground, and it's like, (Cristiano) Ronaldo', but I watched it back and I've still got one arm on the floor, so it wasn't the most acrobatic!

But I think it was a nice contact and when I turned around on the floor and just saw it kind of rolling in, I thought 'Oh my God' - it was definitely one of the most important and memorable moments of my career so far."

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Bellingham has joined the England squad on the back of a triumphant Champions League run with Real. But he, along with a number of other key figures in the team, have not been performing at their peak.

The English midfielder insinuated that the controversy swirling around them has only made them stronger, bonding them together. Speaking on the intense pressure, Bellingham reflected: "In international football, knock-out football, it's the worst feeling when you are no more than 30 seconds from going home and having to listen to all the rubbish. You feel like you've let a nation of people down and 30 seconds later, with one kick of the ball, everything can change."

It's 20 or 30 seconds until we're out of the European Championship. It's hard to deny that it's one of the most important moments of my career so far. It's still a long tournament and it is only really very important if we go on to win the cup. So we'll decide in the next two weeks how important it is."