England Under-21s extend unbeaten run to NINE games against Spain in penultimate match before Lee Carsley returns
If there was ever to be a reminder of just how much Bellingham fever has swept across Spain it came here on the south coast once the final whistle sounded.
On ran the ballboys, sprinting, desperate to get a selfie with Bellingham, who chose not to acknowledge the excitable youngsters.
Next to the England team bus the selfie requests came thick and fast. Even mum Denise was being mobbed for photos, such was the excitement that the family – minus Jude – were in town.
Mum Denise and dad Mark had landed just a few hours earlier having been in Athens the previous night to watch Jude star in England’s 3-0 win over Greece.
Here, in the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar, Bellingham Jnr was handed his England U21 debut by interim boss Ben Futcher.
Jobe Bellingham was handed his England under-21s debut during the goalless draw against Spain
Bellingham garnered much of the attention from those in attendance in Spain on Friday
Ben Futcher (right) oversaw his penultimate game as Englad youth boss before Lee Carsley (left) returns
It was a landmark moment. One he deserves too given his consistent displays in the Championship this season for Sunderland.
Starting alongside Liverpool’s Tyler Morton in a two-man midfield pivot as part of Futcher’s 4-2-3-1 system, the early stages for Bellingham did not go on to set the tone.
Spain swarmed England, particularly in central areas, through the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool target Javi Guerra and Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios.
Bellingham, operating as the deeper of the two initially, found himself camped on the edge of his own box, at least until England managed to gain a foothold in windy conditions more befitting of the north of England than the south of Spain.
And then, just when Spain turned the screw and let slip two golden opportunities on the cut-back from moves down the left, Bellingham picked the lock of the Spanish defence.
Shifting into a pocket of space in a rare England attack during the first half, Bellingham perfectly weighted a through ball to Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene.
Perfectly in stride, Philogene had to score and Bellingham’s first assist as an U21 would be on the board. Only he curled it wide, to the frustration of the England bench.
The fact that England finished with more possession when all was said and done – they shaded it 51 per cent – and out-passed a team that is synonymous with keeping the ball spoke volumes of the way a midfield including Bellingham, who got 68 minutes of action, grew into this low-key affair.
The friendly encounter in Spain concluded without a shot on target for the Young Lions
Bellingham Jnr (right) with his older brother Jude (left) as the pair posed at St George’s Park earlier in the week
Spain’s 18 shots told their own story. Just how they didn’t score really does make the mind wonder, particularly with a late Hugo Bueno shot rattling James Beadle’s crossbar.
But this was a friendly affair in more ways than one and for most of the 4,000 or so that braved the wind, the most excitement came outside the England team coach as it began to rain.
While others such as Liam Delap and James McAtee were able to catch up with friends and family that made the trip, Bellingham was the A-lister that had local kids squealing in excitement as he tried to have a few words with mum and dad amid a cacophony of noise with his name being shouted over and over.
Selfies taken and shirts signed, Bellingham hugged his parents goodbye and got on the bus that is now bound for the Netherlands, who England face in Futcher’s final game in charge on Monday.
