'Bellingham was bound to make it' - former teammate

A semi-professional footballer, who played for England as a boy alongside Jude Bellingham, has sent a good luck message to his friend at Euro 2024 and believes "it's coming home".

Goalkeeper Serine Sanneh now plays for Rusthall FC in Kent in the Southern Counties Eastern Division, after spending a year out of the game with injury.

Sanneh, who competed alongside Bellingham in the England under-15s team and said he was "bound to make it", sent a message of congratulations to his friend after a stunning overhead kick against Slovakia which kept his side in the tournament.

He told him to "keep working hard" and wished him "good luck" with the next round.

Sanneh, now 21, appeared for England at under-15, 16, and 17 levels and also played with Cole Palmer.

He said: "It was good times. It was tough but I've played with many great players.

"My most difficult opponents were probably France."

Jude Bellingham came into the under-15 squad, even though he was a year younger than the rest of the players.

Sanneh said: "He was younger. But you could see why he was playing a year up, because he was very good, very skilful.

"He was bound to make it."

Sanneh used to play for West Ham before a bad injury forced him out of the game for a year.

He said: "I'm just glad that I'm back because when I was injured it was not nice.

"Football is difficult. You're not going to get to the top by rushing. You need to take your time and have patience and belief."

So what does he think of England's - and his friend's - chances in the final?

"They haven't really played well. But they've got the results.

"I always believed that they were going to go all the way.

"I hope they don't concede an early goal. I wish them all the best.

"It's coming home."

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