Jude Bellingham admits he 'didn't deserve' Player of the Match after Ghana draw as England suffer 'second game fever' again on World Cup stage

In a match where Thomas Tuchel's side struggled to break down a stubborn low block orchestrated by former Real Madrid boss Carlos Queiroz, Bellingham found himself at the centre of the post-match discussion. Despite officially being recognised as the standout performer, the midfielder was quick to shut down the praise, admitting he felt he hadn't done enough to earn the individual accolade after a night of frustration.

Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Bellingham was surprisingly candid about the decision. "I didn't deserve it, to be honest," he said. "It probably should have gone to one of their lads who defended so well. Had a couple of moments, it was hard to get into the game and I'm grateful for whoever voted, but it probably should have gone to one of their lads who defended so well. So fair play to them."

While the performance may have left a bitter taste, it was still a landmark evening for the former Birmingham City wonderkid. At just 22 years and 359 days old, the Real Madrid star achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the youngest player to reach 50 caps for the England national team, surpassing the record previously held by Wayne Rooney.

However, individual records mattered little to Bellingham compared to the final score. "Like always it is second game fever isn't it with England," he noted. This was England's fourth straight draw in the second game of a major tournament, a streak dating back to their 0-0 tie against Scotland at Euro 2020. "Win the first one, do well, and then draw the second one," Bellingham continued. "But it's okay. I think they played for a draw as it would have seen them go through and fair play to them, they did a great job."

The match wasn't without its fireworks, as a heated exchange between Bellingham and Queiroz occurred at half-time. The veteran manager was seen confronting the midfielder following a late challenge on Jerome Opoku. When quizzed on the incident, the Ghana boss said: "It was nothing special. It’s just that emotional moment, the moment he had one word that is not in the book of life. It could create a little bit of fire. But immediately as professionals we pulled up. Football is something for brave people – not for people dancing in tuxedos." Thomas Tuchel later defended his player, insisting no one had "got under their skin."

While Bellingham was self-critical, he wasn't the only one who found life difficult in front of goal. The strike force struggled to test Benjamin Asare for much of the evening, with captain Harry Kane suffered an especially frustrating night. It culminated in a late miss where he blazed a rebound over the bar with the goal gaping – a moment that perfectly summed up England's lack of clinical edge.

The result means England sit top of Group L with four points, but they have missed the chance to secure early qualification for the knockout rounds. Tuchel's men must now avoid defeat against Panama in their final group match to guarantee their spot in the Round of 32. The pressure remains on the Three Lions to rediscover the scoring touch that saw them sweep aside Croatia in their opening fixture.